


Demons and Gods

by UsagiSquared



Category: Shaman King, Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's
Genre: 5Ds with Shaman King 'laws of reality' basically, AU, AiapaeCrow, Aiapaec, Crossover, Gen, Other, Usagi's Domino-effect AUs, oh and Aiapaec. He gets his own tag
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-10-17
Updated: 2017-06-19
Packaged: 2017-11-16 12:48:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 73
Words: 62,312
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/539594
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UsagiSquared/pseuds/UsagiSquared
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rather than gaining the mark of the tail as he should have in the battle against Rex Godwin, another 'god' of a different sort attempts to take advantage of spiritual laws long since forgotten- when it backfires however, Crow and the others find themselves exposed to a side of the world like none they have ever seen.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Ghosts weren’t real.

He remembered growing up and seeing blurs of people in the corner of his eyes, lights that were never there. He remembered what happened whenever he tried to prove that he saw them, as well.

Lights that lured children off the edges of buildings and spirits with half their bodies destroyed by whatever had taken his parents… These were things that were not real, and could not be real. And whatever he saw he passed off as illusion. Whatever he saw wasn’t _real_.

Ghosts. Did not. Exist.

He didn’t see ghosts when he returned to the hide-away he shared with all those kids. The  _demons_  that came out from the earth when summoned by a card were not ghosts, nor were the sources of the screams he heard.

Ghosts weren’t real… He told himself this for  _years_.

…He just wished that it hadn’t taken a God to prove that wrong to him.

Never in all his life had he wanted more to die.

When the kids were gone he had come close. He had sat at the end of the Daedalus bridge and stared into the churning waters below, not even accompanied by the blurs of long past people (hallucinations, he’d told himself). There was no one there.

Neither living or dead.

But if there had been a way to avenge them he would have taken it. And he  _had_  taken it.

There was none who stood between himself and vengeance now however, save one.

…And that was himself.

He could remember falling from the Condor as he activated one more trap… As he sealed a monster into a card and destroyed the Moon ‘Quilla’ with his very D-Wheel.

There was nothing but empty space before him from that point. Nothing but the ground below, and the geoglyph track in the distance. The shouts of others, above and below… And as his eyes watered in the face of the wind rushing at him, a blur caught his eye-

Only this one was all too clear in the instant he saw it. A menacing grin, a flash of gold…

This one wasn’t like the Earthbound Gods, no matter how similar he felt.

This one didn’t  _need_  to ask.

Suddenly all he could see was fire, all he could feel was  _fire_ … And dimly, faintly he could hear the screams of the others… Hear his own voice  _laughing_ , in ways he himself had never even attempted, and following it a surge of such  _POWER_!

His hand was on the Condor’s beak.

The Condor was no more.

His hand pointed toward Rex Godwin, a feather flying from his grip.

  
 _Rex Godwin was no more_.

And as he brought the hand down and looked toward the King of the Netherworld with a menacing grin, it, too, fell, collapsing to the ground as power seared his being- No!

Not his! Not his..!

The others were saved only by the wings of roses and light, dragons in the air as the bikes crashed loudly below. And their shouts rang through the air; begging, pleading…

He was going to hurt them! Kill them, destroy them! (Let me go…) SLAUGHTER THEM! (LET ME GO!)

He could hear himself  _speak_. ‘ _An unmarked mortal claims he can best me in battle?_ ’

He could hear himself  _howl_  with so-called amusement. ‘ _Claims that I CARE about such a battle!?_ ’

Hear the crack as a small boy’s body was slammed to the side.

And the wailing cries which followed from the ‘audience’.

‘ _RUAAAAAAA!_ ’

Let him die. Please, just let him die… Let the pain end, let this THING get out of his body, EVEN IF IT KILLED HIM! Just GET IT AWAY FROM THEM!

He could hear another voice. He could see a sea of red flames with eyes appear before him. An enormous beast of red…

‘ _I am perfectly within my bounds, DRAGON! You put my power in stone? I have right to claim it as mine again!_ ’

The thing that had his body was angry. Proud.

And using his face to grin. ‘ _Hnhnhnhnhn… I even did your job for you! You should be PLEASED, DRAGON; you lost the right to keep me out of this the moment they touched one of my children!_ ’

The dragon’s response was cold, clear, and all too impossible to miss. ‘And you, ‘Decapitator’, lost your right to bear these words in defense the moment you touched one of  **my**  children.’

And behind the red dragon the King of the Netherworld arose- sludge falling from its body to reveal gold-brown scales and warm red eyes, leafy wings and an appearance that spoke of  _dragons_. And from behind-

‘ _So you’ve changed your marks,_ ’ ‘he’ taunted. ‘ _IT’S TOO LATE, NOW_!’

‘No. It is not.’

He had had it. He wanted out. He would not be held prisoner in his own body! He would not watch as his friends died, as they died all for the whims of some DEMON opposing their ally! Let him go…

‘He’ smirked’.

‘ _Too bad…_ ’

LET HIM GO!

‘ _I have the perfect host here, after thousands of years; and I don’t intend to give it up!_ ’

LET.

HIM.

**GO!**

His body trembled.

“NGH-“

Blood spurted from ‘Crow’s mouth, and as those below moved from where Rua had returned to life, standing and gripping a card that had never existed until moments prior, they looked up and watched.

As the monster who had called himself ‘Aiapaec’ looked to his bloodied hand in a mix of fear and horror. As he, through Crow’s body, turned to look to the enormous Crimson Dragon hovering before it.

And as the Crimson Dragon opened his mouth and  _flew_  through him…

And in the process, the ‘thing’ that inhabited it. “NGh- NHHHHAAAAA _AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!_ ”

All they could see was a shadow, and only for an instant. The dragon soared upward, spreading his wings wide-

And within his being, Crow awoke.

‘Let me go,’ he could hear a voice hiss in the back of his mind. ‘This is my host! Mine!’

 

‘ _No. He is a human child, Decapitator. One who, if not for your touch, would have been MINE._ ’ Although he could not see the flames, he felt as though those which made the dragon flared with those words. ‘ _Your power lies scattered in the plains of the Nazca. There is a reason for this! And you have abused your remaining privledges by FAR!_ ’

‘PRIVLEDGES? Need I remind you who I am, DRAGON?’

The fires blazed onward. ‘ _Your days are over, ‘Aiapaec’. They ended long ago, with the ways lost by people you called your CHILDREN. Yet you feel so attached to this boy and his realms? Very WELL! THEN YOU MAY STAY HERE, AND NEVER RETURN TO THOSE BEYOND THE VEIL OF LIFE AND DEATH!’_

‘WHAT!’

…

There was silence after that. And as he found himself regaining movement, he looked around. People- Fallen, some atop the other, others sprawled, laying prone in ‘space’.

Was he dead then? Really?

‘ _Fear not human child. I will return you and all those wrongly taken by the spirits of the earth to the land of the living._ ’

Those taken?

The people of Satellite.

The children!

Rumbling met the air. An affirmative. ‘ _Yes. Though I do not recommend moving too much whence you return, not for some time. Human bodies… They are fragile._ ’

Fragile-? And what was that supposed to mean!?

‘ _It means exactly what it is, child. You are mortal. Living. Your time in this world is short- do not waste it._ ’

Alright! Alright… He’d agree.

‘ _Hnhnhnhnhn… You will find when the time comes that you have no choice in the matter, but I digress. Only a small handful of those whom the spirits of earth chose for vessels may be returned to life; this statement you must carry to my children. For with all my power, many among the Dark Ones have been dead for too long. Where they find themselves now, is up to them. Their spirits will forever be touched by their power- But then, perhaps that is for the better, that the use of vessels by the spirits of earth has led to their very downfall. They, unlike their brethren, will not be sealed again; instead, the power that took form is now dispersed among the spirits, as it should be._ ’

He had no clue what that meant, to be honest. He assumed the ‘spirits of earth’ were the Earthbound Gods, which, if he was supposed to believe that  _thing_  from before were apparently  _pieces_  of said thing…

‘ _And you would not be incorrect. Long long ago when those you call ‘Gods’ inhabited this earth, not many of them were peaceful. There was a vicious battle, and when it came to whose side he chose, Aiapaec chose his own- And unfortunately, in the events that followed, this was the wrong one. Lest he grow into a dangerous spirit rather than a God of less-than-human demands, it came upon myself and that of many others to then create the lines of the Nazca plain. His power was sealed into the earth! Which of course, makes him all too correct in whose fault it is that these demons haunt your realm these years…_

‘ _We were fools to think that the spirits of what died within those lines would be immune to the taint of its power. Fools, to believe that it would remain bound to the Earth. For that, child, you have my apologies._ ’

…

  
 ** _Apologies_**?

He felt rage build within him. ‘I’m sorry’? That was all he had to say? Rather than deal with the rage of one being, they sealed his power and allowed the creation of OTHERS?! Others, which would have to be dealt with. Beings who threatened the existence of everything on the planet, threatened his friends, his KIDS-

A breeze. A sigh.

‘ _You have all the right to be enraged._ ’

Did he now?

He closed his eyes. And as he opened them soon after, the Dragon spoke once again.

‘ _Indeed you do. No words however, can convey the details of what led to these battles now. None that you could even begin to comprehend, mortal as you are. So instead child, I warn you. Aiapaec has let his mark. If not for my interference, you would be as you suspected- deceased. However, while he will no longer enter your being, nor the realms of the dead, this does not remove his free will…_ ’

His will..?

Crow narrowed his eyes, and with a jolt felt himself lose all feeling. He felt himself grow heavy and sore, felt his eyes close over… ‘ _I cannot control what he says. I cannot control where he goes. I have given you my warning,_ ’ the dragon announced, darkness closing in on the boy.

‘ _ **Use it wisely.**_ ’

And with that…

He slept.


	2. Chapter 2

When he woke up, he felt… Comfortable.

Sore as  _hell_  mind, but hey.

He was still comfortable.

As Crow’s eyes opened they were met with the pale blue of a painted ceiling, confusion coming over him as he struggled to determine exactly why that was.

A few seconds and he realized he was in a bed. A few more, and he was slowly sitting up, eyes abruptly closed tight as he grimaced.

“Sfff-!” OW.

OW… OW…

 _OW_  fuck this hurt.

‘ _Well well. The bird awakens!_ ’

Suddenly the pain didn’t matter. That voice, he- He knew that voice!

…

It hadn’t been a nightmare.

His eyes flung open the moment he’d heard it, but it took a moment to find the source. And even then, he didn’t see it as such.

The thing before him was small, to put it lightly. Ornately decorated and,  _small_. It had snakes with bird heads tying its clothes, earrings resembling the heads of serpents, and frankly if it were 'human' it would probably have fallen over with the size of its headdress by now.

“…A doll?” Did- Did he end up being found and taken in by someone with a little girl, what? (They _were_  in Neo Domino though right? There was a window here, and it looked fairly  _nice_  outside to be honest, so-)

The thing did not apparently appreciate being called a doll. ‘ _You will do well to learn some manners, BRAT!_ ’ Oh really. ‘ _I am the Decapitator! The GOD, AIAPAEC!_ ’ HAH! This thing, a Go-

Fuck.

“ _ **No.**_ ”

He recognized the gold from this thing’s feathered headdress now.

“ _ **No**_!”

‘ _Ohhhh yessss,_ ’ the spirit hissed. ‘ _Just because that DRAGON forced me out the first time doesn’t mean I’m going to abandon the first vessel that failed to disintegrate with my presence!_ ’

No. No no no  _no-_

He grabbed the closest thing (lamp), ignoring the pain and backing away against the bed. He couldn’t really move his legs, nor anything really.

Regardless however, he was going to at least _try_ defending himself now. “You stay the fuck away from me you monster- Got that! GET AWAY FROM ME!”

‘ _Ohhhh come on.~_ ’ It was  _batting its eyelashes_. What in the HELL- ‘ _It’s been **millennia**  since I had connections to this_ world,' the 'god' warned viciously, _'I will NOT ignore my one chance!_ ’

No. NO.

NO!

The lamp was thrown.

But it did not connect. It shattered across the floor and quite suddenly he felt more afraid than he had when he had been driving from the accursed black fog that devoured most of Satellite. “How…”

‘ _Oh, please. I am **FAR**  beyond your realm’s reach!_’ he laughed, floating closer.

“No… YOU STAY AWAY-!”

‘ _Do you really want to say that?_ ’

“Why the hell wouldn’t I!?”

The spirit’s grin grew wider, fangs just about reaching the sides of his face. ‘ _Well. Someone might think you’ve… ‘lost your marbles’, as the saying goes!_ ’

… ** _What_**? He merely narrowed his eyes. “You get the hell away from me-”

‘ _How interesting a choice of words_ ,’ he hissed in response, darting toward him without warning as footsteps came up from below. ‘ _NOW-_ ’ His vision was filled with red-orange and brown and the moment it cleared he stiffened.

It felt as though his insides were being churned in a blender. The instant the spirit entered his body he felt ill, making it his every effort not to cry out in pain. “Ngh GH-… KAH-!!”  His coughing sounded almost forced, with choked lungs blood in his mouth- his entire body seemed to fight against itself and all the while spots entered his eyes as he struggled to do so much as twitch.

And finally-

‘ _accursed DRAGON!_ ’

He fell back, limp upon the bed and struggling to breathe as the spirit hovered above. “Hahh… Hahhh…”

‘ _Tch. Very well then; I’ll just have to hang around and find another way,_ ’ he chuckled, narrowing his eyes.  _‘You can see me- and you **resist**  possession. That settles it then._’ His grin grew. ‘ _I’ll make you my ‘shaman’. My connection to the living plane._ ’

“And what if I refuse?” he taunted through a now relatively ragged throat, a grin appearing on his own face despite his pain and fear both. “You’re stuck now, aren’t you!?”

Chuckling, and the grin fell. ‘ _Ohhh… Why don’t you let **him** answer?_ ’

…Him?

His eyes moved to the side, and he blinked. “Y-Yuusei-” Uh. H-How long had he been- Wait. “… _Glasses_?”

Yuusei- who was indeed wearing a pair as he held the door open to peer into the room- took a moment to nod, strangely enough. “…Aah. As it seems, staring into Momentum too long is never wise,” he 'explained'.

Which would make  _falling_  into it just a _little_ worse, wouldn't it, he supposed.

The man studied him carefully, as though expecting him to sprout wings and claws before attacking him in a rage. “…Crow,” he began after a moment. “What was that crash I heard earlier?”

“Crash?” AH! “Well, for this guy of course!” he protested, pointing at the spirit in question. “Showing up in front of me when I woke up, he’s the reason I’m in this mess!” Crow continued, a few coughs escaping him in those moments. He grinned nonetheless, looking back. “But of course, now that he can’t do a damn thing, I don't have anything to worry about ehehe~!”

“…Crow.” Eh? He frowned yet again as he caught Yuusei’s expression. This… Was not the look of someone who could see what he could. Not at all; as Crow paled, eyes widening in realization, his friend’s worried frown deepened. “…You should rest,” Yuusei said after a moment, deciding not to question him any further. “We’re at Zora’s garage; she’s a friend of Martha,” the man explained. “So you don’t need to worry about anything.”

“AH- Worry?! I’m more worried about-” At Yuusei’s still worried stare he found himself crumpling somewhat, despite himself. “…I’ll just lie down for a bit,” he decided in the end.

Yuusei nodded. “Aah. Good. By the way-” He moved to leave, looking back a moment. “Martha is looking after the kids; they’re fine now.”

“Ah- Really?!” That- That was-!

As he grinned, the door closed. And when it closed, the grin faded almost immediately despite his honest relief.

‘ _Hnhnhn… We are not so different brat. I would slaughter the gods of Hell itself if it meant protecting **my** children.’_

Crow snarled, barely keeping himself from shouting again. “We’re NOTHING alike!” he spat lowly, gripping the blanket on the bed with clenched fists

‘ _Hnhnhn… Whatever you say. But I don’t intend to leave any time soon,_ ’ he ‘warned’ with a laugh, Crow finding himself quite unable to do much more than grind his teeth in rage. ‘ _There’s more yet to come after all- I’m a little curious as to how the dear Dragon’s chosen intend to deal with it._ ’

Crow chose not to give the spirit the joys of snatching at that baited remark. Instead he turned away from the ghost completely; he’d treat it like he did everything else that was apparently real, that was all. He’d ignore it, and go back to life-as-it-should-be.

He just wished there wasn’t a small part of him wondering about how easy that would be, when this particular spirit was intent on speaking to him, rather than holding silent like everything else.


	3. Chapter 3

Recovering from the unwanted overshadowing took a fairly long amount of time in the end- time that Aiapaec did not, in any way waste.

It brought the nagging question of ‘ _are you desensitizing me to your own voice?_ ’ to mind, but he convinced himself to keep quiet. He had to admit however- the spirit had a point when he said it was ‘ _[him] or the wall_ ’ for company.

Jack was busy trying to figure out what was going on with his previous home of two years. Yuusei was starting up a job in repairs from the garage. They dropped by to chat sure, but they couldn’t stay forever!

And when they  _were_  there, well.

In the end, it wasn’t as though Aiapaec ever left, after all…

 “Do you just…  _Never sleep_?” he groaned, face first in the pillow as he listened to Aiapaec’s apparently deliberately terrible attempts to have a conversation.

‘ _Do the dead sleep?_ ’ the spirit responded, his answer a rather disgusted glare. ‘ _Well! That answers it doesn’t it!_ ’

“Don’t you have anywhere better to be?” he hissed, the sun dipping down on the horizon. Bad enough he was stuck in a bed barely able to walk to the washroom and back before calling it quits. But getting stuck with  _THIS_  guy, when he couldn’t even tell the others that..!

‘ _If I had somewhere better, I think I’d be there!_ ’

Yea. Of course.

Those other friends of Yuusei’s hadn’t been by apparently. He hadn’t seen them- he wouldn't know. After all, while Yuusei mentioned them the twins always kept closer to the door and Aki simply said nothing. Supposedly there was a reason for that. Supposedly, something had happened on the evening where most saw his possessed body hovering mid-air.

Aki and Ruka both had seen something far,  _far_  worse. A monstrous beast with the jowls of some large feline, oversized fangs like tusks sitting near the end of them. With snakes amid his hair, and still more from his back.

It took all he could not to try (and of course, fail) to strangle the ghost beside him.

‘ _Hn! They always forget the earrings…_ ’

As it were, it didn’t help the worried/confused/are-you-insane look, so he forced himself to keep silent.

But a  _fucking MONTH of this!_

While the bridge was going up, Satellite was getting a rebuild. Job market was going up and right along with it suddenly people were getting slammed with taxes, budgets; all of the worries of the working class.

It was fairly clear- if you were in Satellite, then either the able adults who looked after you needed a job, or you were good as gone. And of course, for Neo Domino to even start this much construction, they  _needed_  to hire as many able adults. When buildings went up, they’d need workmen to fill them. It was like putting up a new city from scratch.

Except people were already there. People Neo Domino had spent the last  _seventeen years_  being told and bred to hate and spit on.

He wasn’t an idiot. By the time he had his strength back, nothing had  _really_  changed. Oh, so he could get back and forth no problem with a short ferry! Big deal!

 _Their_  eyes did not change. They only hid them behind smiles and made sure no one saw when they wiped their hands after shaking them.

It was hard to keep positive about that when he had Aiapaec to deal with. A month, and he was on his feet again. For the week and a little bit after he’d stuck to the Garage, figuring out his options, helping out with the engine. Given how much Zora seemed to dislike him though?

He found himself going out a fair lot for the next bit.

His bike- and the others as well, somehow- were still in good condition. HOW they weren’t piles of scrap was a damn good question but… Eh. Whatever they were made of was obviously strong enough to handle a fall from a few stories.

That or Yuusei had made them his priority really; he wouldn’t have put it past him.

One month, two weeks from when he’d woken up, and he was driving along the route which would get him to Satellite again he did his best to ignore both the stares (yea he had four criminal marks- scars of fucking battle there!) and his…  _Company._

‘ _Not a bad set of wheels, boy_.’

Oh, so it was ‘boy’ now, instead of ‘brat’? Tch. “And what would you know about D-Wheels!?” he shouted at the ghost, quite alone in the depths of the ferry to Satellite.

A smirk. ‘ _I know you named it ‘Blackbird’; I’m fairly fond of things with black feathers you’ll find…_ ’ Black-

His scowl deepened, and he looked away. Great. Just  _GREAT_!

‘ _At some point, you’re going to need a place no one can watch the two of us._ ’ Aiapaec continued on. ‘ _Or at least, where no one can watch **you**  while I talk.’_

“Fuck off.”

‘ _No.’_  Errrrrgggghhh! The spirit chuckled as his decided ‘shaman’ continued to seethe in rage, before the volume rose into a full laugh.  _‘If there’s anyone with the **potential**  to bring my form into ‘reality’ it’s you  **boy**_ _. Don’t take that compliment lightly._ ’

Tch. “After all you’ve done? I’d rather eat glass.”

‘ _Mnn. That can be arranged I suppose…_ ’

“GH-” Oh that was fucking- A light came on from above, and engines started around him. People who hadn’t been with the vehicles came down. Crow put his helmet back on and got ready to drive himself, following any other vehicles on the boat off to Satellite. As for the  _thing_ floating with him, it prepared to follow.

‘ _Hn. You’ll need a place regardless,_ ’ the spirit chuckled darkly, Crow focusing on the road with a steadily growing rage. ‘ _After all. Now that the bridge is finally being built, you’ve **lost**  your home._’

“Tch…” The engine seemed to snarl with him as he picked up speed, as if hoping to leave the ghost behind him. No place was free now. His home at the bridge was being torn down, and most of the B.A.D. area was being flushed of any criminals.

There was only one place they weren’t touching.

And by the end of it, if at least to avoid prying eyes for a little bit of time to get his head straight before visiting Martha and the kids, he was looking at it. It had only been a month and a half.

The priorty for recovery wasn’t quite the  _buildings_  in the B.A.D. area.

Crow sat on the edge of one of the yet demolished or even re-claimed buildings, feet dangling off the edge as he looked to the crater that was ‘Old Momentum’s home. It looked almost as though they were trying to build a lid over the top- a ‘cap’ of concrete upon which they would place a memorial of sorts. It figured, really.

But the hole was too deep, too dangerous to simply fill in the end- and if the image of unity was to be held, why not turn a danger zone into an area of supposed peace? “Tch.” Be a lot easier to fall back on his dreams from before all this if he wasn’t staring reality in the face…

Aiapaec didn’t help granted- perhaps  _that_  was why he was really in a constantly sour mood. ‘ _Hnnn… Interesting…_ ’

Dammit fine, he’d bite. “What.”

The spirit chuckled.  _‘They aren’t destroying the buildings **beneath**  it._’ They-

Well.

That got his attention. “What…”

Without further prompting from the ghost he moved, finding the still somewhat uncovered set of metal stairs easily. Getting to them when the first few had been ripped off for ‘safety’ as a little less so of course but hey, not like that had ever stopped him before, right?

“Hn!”

_-tpf-_

A short clang met the air and he rushed down to the door at the bottom, shouts from above calling to inspect what had happened. Those above would find nothing- the clang was him landing on metal after all. Eventually they would leave him alone.

Mind, now of course he realized there was the issue of  _getting out._

But regardless. ‘ _Well. Not bad._ ’

“Compliments from a God who takes human sacrifices. Great,” he grumbled, the comment eliciting a laugh from the ghost.

‘ _Heard about those did you?_ ’

“NH- I thought it was obvious!” Demon-god-thing, South America… It made sense to him!

 _‘Hn. You should learn not to assume… Some of the most powerful of us preferred tributes of another sort entirely._ ’ Ugh. Great.

Well, here they were in the building now at least. It was dark, as expected. Just as dusty and creepy as it was before, as well.

 _‘Hnn. Could use a little warming up._ ’ Warming-

“Can you just SHUT  _UP_!?”

‘ _Perhaps you should make me. Hnhnhnhnnnn._ ’

“AAAAGGGHH!” The ghost was fucking right, he was going to go insane at this rate! “Alright- What about this place makes it so useful for you then, huh?”

Shouldn’t have asked. ‘ _Hnnn… It’s hidden, it’s quiet, there’s a still burning rift in the center-_ ’

“WHAT?”

‘ _Ohhh, you thought ‘Momentum’ was a creation of your realm?_ ’ Aiapaec grinned quite nastily, and as they passed an open window he floated out to look down. Indeed it still glowed beneath them, albeit far below the level that it had been during Yuusei’s duel with Rudger.

It wasn’t calming him down. At all. “Gh… And what’s that supposed to mean!?”

‘ _You humans created a way to tap into the energies of the earth, Boy. That which connects this realm to the realm of spirits, ever turning, neverending. It can produce energy, or destroy it in one go! And in terms of entry to and from it._ ’ Crow didn’t even need to say anything before the ghost snorted, looking away. ‘ _Please, it’s not a portal **now**. It’s as close to death as death comes, but it isn’t the same._ ’

“Not. Helping.”

Rolled eyes at that. Ohohhh, so he finally managed to annoy the ghost for once.

Aiapaec was apparently much better with tolerance. ‘ _That isn’t the only reason of course. You’ll need space for what I intend to do. We’ll have to start with simple spirit unity mind, which means nothing too impressive-_ ’

Spirit- “What part of  _NO_  didn’t you catch?” he growled, continuing on his way through the building. Had to be a map around here, something to get him a door, or even a window.

The ghost snorted. ‘ _Hn! It’s only a matter of time._ ’ Yea. Great.

Regardless. “Too bad. I’m not living here!”

‘ _Ohh? And where do you plan to live then?_ ’ Aiapaec chuckled, narrowing his eyes. ‘ _ **Surely**  not Martha’s. Just  **think**  of the worries you would set upon her, shouting at me like this! Hnhnhnhnhahaaa!_’

“I’m pretty sure if I get some work I can stay with Yuusei,” he grumbled in response, reigning his anger in yet again rather than swipe at whatever line Aiapaec tossed him this time. “Besides! We can both work on engines anyways!” Just that… Yuusei was the only one who could figure out the data side.

…Y-yea.

As the spirit continued to laugh he moved his focus back to the darkened building, continuing his hunt for either a door or a map. Really, he wasn’t too picky at this point. And-

His hand brushed against something on the wall, and he squinted. “What on earth?”

‘ _Ohh?_ ’ The light glow around Aiapaec illuminated it somewhat, and, holding back a remark of surprise, Crow turned his attentions to what ‘it’ was.

“Heh! A map!”

‘ _Covered in glass._ ’

“Not for long,” he laughed with a grin, grabbing a notably useless fire extinguisher from the side. “HnnnAAAA-!”

_-cRK-_

The glass shattered, and with a bit of poking and pulling it came off from the paper-thin map behind it. The sheet was pulled out- and with a few shakes it was clear of glass.

Finding where he was was fairly easy, despite the ‘you are here’ no longer being visible. But given the large ‘hole’ in the center representing the old Momentum device, it didn’t take much to figure out where he was in proximity of that. 

He looked down the hall, blinking as he spotted what lay at the end. “There’s a door here?”

‘ _Hnn. I would think any doors at this level would be underground…_ ’

Yea, so would-

No he did not just agree with the ghost, dammit-!

Pushing the thought from mind he moved, boots clacking against the floor in the darkness. The place was huge, that was for sure… Still. The door would supposedly be right about-

“Heh. Here it is!”

‘ _Hn! It probably won’t open!_ ’ Oh yea?

“No way to find out if I don’t try it! Hnn!” He slammed his shoulder against the door, a loud clang coming through the air. The door was definitely stuck in place from lack of use but even so.

It had definitely shifted!

“Heheheeee.” He cracked his knuckles, charging for another go. “HrrHAH!”

A louder clang this time- and as dust blew up from the cracks the door swung open…

To open air. ‘ _Well I’ll be,_ ’ Aiapaec hissed, floating out as Crow stepped on the tattered end of an underground parking lot ledge. ‘ _The fissure.’_

Fissure was right. This was the edge of the gorge between ‘B.A.D.’s area and the rest of Satellite. “Huh. The building goes that far eh?” Weird!

Mind, looking up there was nothing but rock, rock, and more rock… So it was more that the fissure itself spread way farther than he’d ever known, leaving meters of rock sitting above them.

As it was. Rolling up the map and stowing it in one of his glove’s sleeves he looked toward where wind seemed to come in, water and rock meeting his eyes. That’d be the way out then.

And following it got him to shore a hell of a lot faster than he thought. Not that it was a good thing. “Sheesh,” he muttered, looking out to the now red-gold coloured sky. _Late_ enough? “Sunset already.”

‘ _Hnhnhnhn… Don’t sound so disappointed! This… This was a good day.’_

Hahaha. “Maybe for you, but I didn’t plan on spending all day in there!” He was hungry dammit…

A shrug. ‘ _Please. You have your map, your training ground-_ ’

“I’m not training in anything with you!”

‘ _Yet you took the map._ ’ He-

Crow’s fists clenched, but he didn’t move. Not as though there would be a point, right? “Tch. Fuck off,” he growled in the end, continuing his way along the rocks to climb back up and get to where his bike was. “I don’t want anything to do with you- Get that through your head!”

And as he made his way up, it seemed the ghost was finally silent for once.

…It would not be long before he would come to prefer his chatter to this, in the end.


	4. Chapter 4

It took about two more months before things could be considered ‘settled’. Four since the events of  _that_ duel. It wasn’t something they talked about.

He’d gotten a job together as soon as he was able. Put together a little something to attach to his bike, started working delivery. Jack seemed to come and go himself; after the duel, not all the Dark Signers woke up.

As for the ones who did…

He wasn’t sure what happened, in Jack’s duel. All he’d done was run into him at a ‘meeting of halfway points’ really, finding the man when he’d been driving toward the final geoglyph.

But anyone who could render Jack silent with something like sorrow- worry, even, well.

He didn’t want to know what it was like for the Dark Signers when they became what they were.

At least  _he_  hadn’t have a choice in the matter, bad as that sounded. If he was going to put any stock in Aiapaec’s peanut-gallery comments however, then there was one thing in particular that he could not allow himself to ignore.

Carly had died. Then come back with clouded thoughts. She cleared them- and then the power possessed her in response.

And by the end of it, she died again.

Maybe Jack had wanted her to have forgotten that. Let him forget it ever happened, and simply treat her as an occasional acquaintance before letting things fade out despite any feelings they might have had.

Except Carly hadn’t forgotten.

Between the injuries she was treated for with her post-death state, and the nightmares of what she’d done, there was no questioning the fact that recovery would be neither instant nor easy.

And anyone who had affected Jack enough for him to willingly extend his hand to help with that sort of recovery- truly help, not just with a few words- was good in his books.

So really, he could deal with Jack’s unemployment a little longer.

…Even if his spending habits were threatening to push them in the red zone again.


	5. Chapter 5

’ _First lesson, **boy** … Offerings._’

One could hear the groan for miles if they listened right.

By five months, it seemed that he’d caved to Aiapaec’s demands somewhat. He found a way to actively re-enter the abandoned Old Momentum building using the parking lot door, started finding things like glow-sticks and simple lamps…

Place looked a hell of a lot less spooky with lights on, he had to say. …Gloomy though. Probably have to clean a few things…

He wasn’t going to let that ghost take solid form. He swore it. He’d never let it happen..!

…But…

If he was stuck with this thing, he’d mind as well figure out how Aiapaec wanted it to happen- and then avoid it like the plague.

…This wasn’t what he expected though.

First _task_ was…

Get a memorial tablet. _Really_..?

’ _Just carry it in one of your gloves_ ’ he said _‘It’ll make things easier_ ’ he said…

WHAT THE HELL WOULD HE WANT HIM AROUND AT ALL TIMES FOR!?

In the end, leaving it in his room at the garage would make it weirder, leaving it at the Old Momentum would work just as well, and the ghost would be following him around like he always did.

If anything, all it did was _help_ , he realized dryly.

Suddenly, there was a place for Aiapaec to ’ _sleep_ ’.

Suddenly, he had hours of silence from the ghost with the world’s worst sense of dark humor. And _damn_ if he didn’t enjoy THAT.

Unfortunately…

Aiapaec, sick of trying to spell it in words, pointed to his ramen, pointed to the tablet in his arms, and then crossed his arms and waited.

…As it seemed, _peace and quiet_ so that he could do the things he actually enjoyed came with a price.

Unfortunately Aiapaec hadn’t counted on this coming issue. “I don’t do human sacrifice,” he hissed, careful to make sure anyone in the garage didn’t hear _that_ particular line. By this point, it felt like Yuusei had just accepted that he was hearing things that 'weren’t there’ and made sure to keep a wary eye on him in case it grew into something else. Whether the others had caught wind of it, he had no clue.

He didn’t think he wanted to know.

The ghost snorted. ’ _Please, I’m hardly asking for my usual here..! And what I got from those was **power** , not a meal…_’ he muttered, waving it off. 

Not helping his outlook on it. “Not doing it!” he continued adamantly.

’ _It’s just a taste..! You humans… You think food was like this thousands of years ago? I can’t be a little curious about what you can cook up in three minutes?_ ’

…What.

At the confusion on Crow’s face, Aiapaec frowned. ’ _Odd, I thought offerings to the spirits was something you Japanese folk were known for…_ ’

…The confusion persisted.

’ _Tch. Do I have to spell it out?! I don’t actually **eat** the food! Just sit the tablet in front of a dish and offer me something so that I can have a taste..!_ ’

Okay that… Confusion didn’t even describe this any more, and he almost dropped the cup. “… _What_.”

For once, it seemed he had Aiapaec annoyed. Not enraged, or bloodthirsty just… _Annoyed_.

’ _LET ME TASTE THE RAMEN._ ’

It was actually amusing in a twisted sense. Enough that he was back in good spirits even, enjoying his meal despite the ghost’s presence. “Pff. And why should I? These are my noodles..!” he laughed, before taking a deliberate slurp.

’ _Ghhh…. Then give me a TASTE…!_ ’

“Maybe I’ll give you something else if you want something so bad..! I bet you’d love _dry_ rice…”

’ _YOU… SORRY LITTLE **HEATHEN**..!!_ ’

“HahAHAHAAA..!” Another clump of noodles, before the spirit began to shake. “Mn?” And tremble. And…

’ _Hnhnhnhnhn… In that case… You can explain yourself on your own..!_ ’

“Ah- What!?”

The spirit was gone without another word, but it didn’t take long to realize what Aiapaec had meant.

And unlike Yuusei… “Crow…” The tone used at the moment was cool, calm, and very clearly said ’ _you had better fucking explain this shit right now_ ’. “Who are you talking to.”

“Eh-”

Jack wasn’t quite as easy to convince when it came to dropping subjects from a conversation.

“I said…” Grabbing the chair. Leaning in. Definitely getting ready for a fight. …Which Crow himself was doing as well really. “ _Who are you talking to!_ ”

There were many ways this could have gone better.

It was probably a testament to the sort of person he was that he couldn’t actually think of how he’d have tried them, later on though.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It occurred to me that I did NOT FINISH UPLOADING THIS HERE...  
> There's quite a lot of chapters to add, so sit tight everyone.


	6. Chapter 6

The bridge was complete, but somehow, after the rush of success had passed things didn’t feel like they’d changed at all. The looks hadn’t changed, regardless of any clients for the delivery service slowly getting over the shock of who was transporting their goods. And when the shock faded even then, it was only replaced by uneasy caution.

His job kept him out of the garage a fair bit, outside typical engine work. Aiapaec, and the Old Momentum building did the same. And then the poster for the coming tournament came up, and suddenly he was working double time; they couldn’t afford to sponsor themselves otherwise..! They _needed_ to work, they _had_ to.

And while they weren’t in the red zone anymore thanks to Jack’s decision to move in with Carly- an act that conveniently cut his ability to stop by Cafe La Green every day- that didn’t change the fact that it would be tight.

They were working on the engine again when he saw Aki again. Well… He was. Yuusei ran out of cable, drove off… He himself continued working on what he could. Admittedly… He’d been trying to avoid this, meeting the girl. Same with the twins; Ruka was coming? Rua?

He was gone. Or at least, out of sight. There was no way he could look the kid he’d _killed_ in the eye when the spirit of his murderer was floating around and using his arm as a hotel. _No_.

This time there wasn’t a warning. Aki merely showed up while he was working on his bike…

Spotted Aiapaec…

And made the connection to the monster she’d seen half a year prior. “ _YOU_!”

“No!”

Vines stopped barely a milimeter from his face- not likely out of concern so much as shock.

But Aiapaec had seemed genuinely afraid of what those vines would do.

And despite what happened, he didn’t feel like he could just watch to see why.

Aiapaec fled to his tablet.

Aki looked to him with an expression people had one given her- likely still did behind her back. He might not have said anything to her- but he wasn’t always _gone_ when she was talking to Yuusei. And…

Heh. Hah…

She wasn’t the only one familiar with a ‘smiling mask’. They might have had different reasons but he knew what real happiness looked like and she hadn’t shown it for most of the times he’d spotted her.

There wasn’t a need for that mask right now though. And in the end, when the vines were pulled back it was only because of the sound of an approaching engine. Aki said nothing.

Nor did he.

But when Yuusei did come in, Crow had long-since fled to the rooms above the garage.


	7. Chapter 7

Over the time he’d listened to the spirit, he’d come to understand that Aiapaec was a remarkably cunning, and patient sort.

…About _some_ things.

Aiapaec had limits however. And apparently, when Aki made moves to get a D-Wheeling licence with intent to be part of team 5Ds, that opened a window of opportunity for the ghost.

Not that he said it aloud. Not that Crow or Aki or anyone really brought up the slowly growing weed in the room. But the fact was that they _knew_ there was something else in the room when Crow was there.

Even if they couldn’t see it. Yuusei and Jack- they trusted Crow to the ends of the earth.

But as Crow himself bitterly admitted when their new foe began to rear its head, when a monster of five parts stole Stardust and nearly kept it…

Aiapaec could be trusted about as far as one could throw him.

And that was pretty damn difficult when you couldn’t grab him to begin with.

He’d known something was going to happen. And now something was. Something they couldn’t start to comprehend. Maybe the spirit had figured he’d be more willing to try out that first basic technique of his when that came up- however Crow was still more than adamant on the matter. ‘Hyoui Gattai’ was not happening. Not if he could do anything about it.

And of course now, in the scrapyard…

Somehow it felt like this was all that stupid ghost’s fault. The crash of metal that game with the duel’s end, the piling scrap that buried himself and his opponent both. ’ _With my knowledge, you’d get this old man out to safety in a heartbeat_ ,’ the spirit taunted, Crow grinding his teeth in silence from where they were now buried beneath the junk. ’ _So what do you say… Don’t we have a **common interest**..?_ ’

It was good that the old man was in so much shock.

He didn’t think there was anything off at all about the sudden action the boy he’d dueled suddenly was taking, even if it was only to pick something up from the other end of the pit.

But with Aiapaec’s knowledge he knew how long they had in this hole.

…Along with how to wield an ability long forgotten by mortal man.

They’d fallen into the old man’s trap hole. And steel blocked their escape. But…

It was a weird feeling. An uncomfortable feeling that had him on edge- he was still himself, wasn’t he? Aiapaec hadn’t tried anything yet, had he..??

What Aiapaec’s knowledge did was not much… But it was enough to tell him how to get word to the others through piles of steel. What he’d done with the spiders he didn’t know. He didn’t want to know.

All that mattered was that the old man was safe- that was all. They were found, dug out… They were safe.

But if there was one thing he decided from the event, it was this- The next time Aiapaec forced his hand, it would not be so kind.

And he would boil oceans before he waited to see what 'not so kind’ would turn out to be.


	8. Chapter 8

Some would call this sudden book interest uncharacteristic.

He called it figuring out _who the hell he was dealing with_.

When you wanted information about someone on the streets you questioned people on the streets. People up top? The people those folk knew, the ones who were _around_.

Aiapaec was none of these things, and given the spirit’s age that left only one source.

Books.

He found a few in the Old Momentum while clearing out the junk in it, which was pretty handy given the strange sparseness of the public library. Moving ruined concrete, putting scrap in a pile that he could use from or would just have to be rid of somehow… The place was shaping up to be quite a hide-away, that was for sure.

…It was the only place he could, or at least _would_ train in.

’ _Hyoui Gattai is the weakest of techniques,_ ’ Aiapaec had told him. ’ _I won’t be moving onto Over Soul until we know each other **cold**. Which means you,_ ’ he had continued, grinning quite maliciously, ’ _Have a lot of listening to do._ ’

That and research. Lots and lots of it…

…

Did he even live at the garage any more? Such was a key question that came to mind by the time the dinner announcing the WRGP tournament. It was like he was as ghostly as Aiapaec, barely there, in and out… His bed might as well have been taken by someone else.

Hell, maybe it SHOULD have been occupied by someone else.

Bruno was the name of the man they were having move in with them. He was tall, probably stronger than a damned mountain ox and…

Had the tempermant of a kitten. But initially they’d refused his stay. In fact, if it hadn’t been for his work on Jack’s bike, they’d have _continued_ to refuse his stay. But as it turned out, he and Yuusei hit it off big time after that, spending a full three days on a program, working away at the engines non-stop.

…Did he… Even have a _right_ to say Bruno shouldn’t have moved in? When Bruno spent more time at the garage than even he did, he himself off practicing other worldly things in secret?

Hyoui Gattai with a God as it turned out wasn’t as easy as it would have been with a standard spirit. Gods had thousands of years of information. Information that someone like himself would never have time to sort through.

He’d be depending on Aiapaec to give him the facts straight.

…He just wasn’t ready for that.

Aiapaec, also known as the ‘Decapitator’, and one of the greatest Gods to the Moche, if not _the_  greatest… What information he found was _not_ changing his mind about things. He needed to set things right though- set things straight..! When they were meant to train for the tournament he was running deliveries, when the others were resting for practice and work (even Yuusei!), he was in Old Momentum..!

What the hell was he doing then..?! Was he a duelist or not..!?

…The others had to have noticed that… Right..?

In all honesty, it would have been easy for him to take the time to practice for the tournament. He’d have plenty of time if he was willing. There was just one problem, really. Whatever audience they had for the practice was small- and the only ones who would have made up that audience, aside from the residents of the garage, along with potentially Carly…

Were the very people he kept forcing himself to avoid.

…

…He couldn’t do this forever though, he decided in the end. No. By this point, he was just being a coward, like the man who’d come back to Neo Domino only recently, the one who had run from Zora’s home three years ago.

'Leo’, in many ways it seemed, bore enough similarities to Crow that whenever Zora saw the marked duelist she could only feel a bitter and stinging rage for him. And Leo, for all his good intentions…

Had only made things worse when he tried to run from what he’d done, in the end.

'Crow the bullet’ was tongue tied, it seemed. Gripping his delivery helmet under his arm, silent as he stood in the doorway. The twins were visiting, that he could see. And…

“…Heh-” He stiffened, Rua having turned to spot him. Crow expected fear- or perhaps the hate-filled rage Aki had. Instead… “Ah! You’re Crow right?!”

Instead the boy was looking to him with a cheery grin. An _honest_ grin, even. “Ah… Y-Yea…”

His sister turned. Thankfully Aiapaec had the sense (or the blackmailing opprotunity) to stay in the tablet- otherwise he had no doubt she wouldn’t be looking up with a smile of her own. “Mn… We were told you were here, but we haven’t seen you… We caught a glimpse at the party, but…” …Yea he’d been making himself pretty scarce around then, urk-

Hide it, he told himself. Laugh. “Haha! Ahh, well, I’ve been pretty busy yea?” Grin. And…

“Well! It’s great to finally see you! You seem pretty cool..!!~” These kids…

Didn’t hate him.

He’d _killed_ one of them, and the other actually _saw_ what had been going on at that time.

_And they didn’t_ …

For some reason after that, he felt a lot better about himself as a whole.

At least well enough to have no issues with practice duels from that point on.


	9. Chapter 9

It was by far the strangest letter (HAH. _LETTERS._ ) he had ever read.

The fact that someone had written a letter in this day and age in itself was astounding. The fact that it was addressed to- of all things- ‘Team Satisfaction members Yuusei, Jack, Crow’ was even moreso.

How it even _got_ here was question enough, but looking over the envelope alone he could recognize the handwriting of a child.

That was probably why he’d opened it first.

…

That was probably why, as soon as he’d read it, he’d taken off.

_'To the living members of Team Satisfaction, please help._

_My name is Nico. I live in the north of Hokkaido in a village known as 'Houra-ku’._ ’

Houra-ku..?

The characters took a moment to read- it was a little messy, however after a moment… 'Crash’..?

’ _We’re a small village. Most of the people here mine the mountain for dyne. The people who work there aren’t allowed to leave Houra-ku._ ’ the letter continued, an almost childish tone carried with it.

’ _If they try, the Spirit of the Mountain will be forced to kill them._ ’

“S-spirit…” …Did he read that right..!?!

It was about then that Aiapaec took interest, floating up behind him. And the more he read, the more ill he felt, Aiapaec seeming largely unaffected by it all.

’ _There is a shaman in our village who claims the mountain will punish any who does not do their job. She controls us, and binds us. Anyone who disagrees is killed by the spirit._

_'But the spirit doesn’t want to kill them. I know, because I saw him. At night, when the shaman was asleep. He doesn’t look like a mountain spirit. He looks like a man.’_

…He had a bad feeling about what that meant.

_'A lot of what he says doesn’t make sense, but I am taking a chance to at least ask for your help. Sometimes, he says he wants to die- even though he’s dead already, he wants to go. Sometimes he just shouts at us._

_'He’s covered in chains. I think they belong to the shaman, but I can’t be sure. I’m sure that if we got rid of them it would fix things though._

_'He can’t decide what his name is. I think it’s Kiryu.’_

….No.

_'That’s the one that he uses most. But the shaman calls him 'Ccapac’-’_

NO…

_'I told him that, and he seemed almost afraid. He told my brother and I to leave the village before the shaman found out that we were talking to him. And then… He started talking about other things._

_'Kiryu sometimes talks about something he called 'Team Satisfaction’. I couldn’t ask much about it, but I **did** get the names of his friends- your names.’_

…He could have cried. He could have just cried. …But there was still the last part of the letter.

_'Please. Yuusei, Jack, Crow- Please come and help. He just wants to move on. If that happens, then everyone can be free. Please help._

_\- Nico’_

The paper crumpled in his hands.

…

“…no…”

Kiryu was dead.

He’d known that for a while, despite never having proof.

Kiryu was dead.

And now…

’ _Exorcism…?_ ’ Aiapaec murmured, seeming to hum under his breath. ’ _This seems like a good chance to practice… You’re in good need of a field trip as it is,_ ’ he snorted, ’ _Over half a year, and you aren’t at all willing to wield Hyoui Gattai properly._ ’

“Tch-” With a sudden rush of anger he turned, paper crunched in his hands. “There’s nothing wrong with not trusting you..!”

_'Hn! Continue saying that and you’ll get nowhere,_ ’ he grumbled in response, apparently unable to do much about that.

Yea yea yea…

So.

…Hokkaido, eh?

Crow didn’t leave much in the way of a warning before he left. A note for the others, a brief notice with his job that he’d be gone for a bit…

A small bit of funds, and he was driving away. Kiryu… He was dead in the end, after all.

…He just…

…In the end, he would be the only one who could see Kiryu after all, right?

…So for now…

…It was just better this way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- As usual, guess where Crashtown is again...Yep. Hokkaido.


	10. Chapter 10

He’d tried to ignore Aiapaec for the drive. Really, he had. He gave up about five hours into the drive unfortunately- and the fact was, it was going to take 24 total to get there, ferry included, so if he was going to be alone for almost two days on the road…

…He supposed he’d listen for once. What Aiapaec was talking about was interesting this time around, if not fairly important.

_‘It’s strange,_ ’ he had murmured as they went, only continuing when he was sure that Crow was listening. ’ _A true shaman doesn’t act out of malice like this…_ ’

Really now? He found that rather hard to believe, human as he (and presumably every other shaman that existed) was. “Hah! 'Shamans can’t be evil’..? Really?” His tone was all that was needed to show what he thought of that- and Aiapaec found himself rolling his eyes.

’ _Hn! 'Evil’ is a matter of perspective, Boy. I said **malice**._ ’

He snorted. “What’s the difference..?”

Aiapaec stared, but answered nonetheless. ’ _I could tell you to raise an army of corpses with my power if I wanted. However, thanks to the Crimson Dragon, whether or not you did would be up to you in the end._ ’ He looked down upon the duelist from the corner of his eye, continuing with a tone so severe that he found it near impossible to ignore it. ’ _So- would you do it then?_ ’

The answer was obvious! “The HELL I would..!” he spat, focusing on his driving. “And if you think you can make me-”

’ _If an army was approaching your 'children’, intent on slitting their throats,_ ’ Aiapaec then asked coolly, ’ _If a force arose that would not stop until they themselves perished, would you do it to stop that force?_ ’

“Gh…” There was no answer that time. Crow’s grip on the D-Wheel tightened, and unwilling to answer he stared at the road ahead.

Aiapaec did not grin. He merely nodded, closing his eyes. ’ _Exactly. No matter what, a shaman will **ALWAYS** have good intentions at heart. What matters however, is how well aimed those intentions are. But this…_ ’ An audible growl met the air. ’ _This is not good intent… Channelling a nature spirit to destroy a mountain- or any spirit to do so? It’s far beyond the nature of Shamanism…_ ’

Crow remained silent for a moment longer with those words, thoughts drifting. He didn’t like what Aiapaec had insituated there… He could dimly remember finding the term 'apu’ in one of those books at the Old Momentum site. The word that had brought to mind the giant Kiryu had summoned as a Dark Signer, 'Ccapac Apu’. In that context however, 'apu’ had meant 'mountain spirit’… A powerful one at that.

…If Kiryu… Had been called by the name of the giant…

He ground his teeth, forcing himself to speak of other, more pressing matters. “Only a shaman can channel spirits though, right? That’s what you said..!”

A nod. ’ _Correct. The question is, are the shaman and the woman the same person._ ’

…What?

As he stared in confusion the spirit continued. ’ _More importantly… If this is not the case of a severely misguided shaman, where is the **real** one..?_ ’

These questions would have to be answered in time, he was sure. …For now however, there was no telling what would happen.

…And miles north, in the village 'Houra-ku’, a frigid wind began to blow…


	11. Chapter 11

’ _This place is bad news…_ ’

When a spirit like Aiapaec noticed that sort of thing, it _had_ to be bad.

Hokkaido of course, was cold as hell at this time of year. It had been chilly enough simply driving up north, but getting to the tip?

He got a coat. There was no way he was doing this without a coat. It was freezing and terrible and HE WAS GETTING A COAT. Thankfully for the most part, it was smooth driving once the issue of temperature was solved.

When he got to the village however… Well that was interesting.

The place was a ghost town, puns aside.  Driving around… No one. Not a single-

“Pssst..!”

Hissing came from the side, and as he took his helmet off he frowned. It was a little boy- probably somewhere around 8 he figured, and he was gesturing to follow.

“Hnnn…” Well, better that than nothing… Keeping the engine running he followed at a slow pace rather than attempt to push the vehicle through the layers of snow, helmet back on in some poor attempt to keep his ears warm.

Wherever the boy was going however, he did not say. Not until they were actually there, at least- a small hide-away in the woods, little more than a shack really. How they were warm inside, even with the small fire going, he had no idea…

But as it was. The bike was turned off, and as he pulled the helmet off the boy grinned.

“EHeeee… I knew the letter would make it..!”

“Eh- You mean-”

The boy ignored him for a moment, running into the shack. “Nico! Nico, someone came..!”

“W-What..!?”

A young girl came out- just a kid really… Older than the boy mind, but probably only by a handful of years. As it was, it was hard to tell with the layers of coats on; she could just be short for all he knew.

What he did know however, was that she was relieved…

And that somehow, she recognized him. “Ahh…” She hurriedly ushered her brother inside, before gesturing Crow to follow. “Quick, in here..! I’ll explain in here..!”

A nod. And as he came in, he instantly felt warmer, slowly unzipping his coat as the door was closed behind him. Cozy, that was for sure… Looked almost half improvized; much like the homes he himself was used to, but…

Just kids..? He looked to the girl. “…Nico, right?”

She nodded. “Mn! You have red hair so…” Eh?? “Crow?”

Oh. “Y-Yea…”

The girl sighed. “Phew… I didn’t even know if anyone would come…”

At the side, her brother nodded. “Yea! No one believes in spirits these days..! They’d just laugh!”

Huh. He shook his head. “Yea, I can see why they might not…” Still. As Aiapaec appeared at his side, he smirked. “But then, it’s hard to ignore in my case.”

“Ahh! You see them too!”

“West, I don’t think he’d be here if he couldn’t…”

The ghost beside him chuckled, drawing their attention. ’ _Indeed he wouldn’t- normal humans wouldn’t do a thing..! When a shaman’s involved, you need another shaman- remember that..!_ ’

Though he aimed a short _look_ at the spirit for that (what, did he have a soft spot all of a sudden??), he turned back to the kids. “…That’s not the point though. Hey- you kids have anyone looking after you..?”

A pair of uneasy glances were traded, and Crow’s gaze hardened. Oh no… Not good.

“…Well,” West offered nervously, “When we mentioned that Dad was working in the mine to him…”

“…Kiryu checks on us after the sun goes down…” After the sun goes down..?

A frown. “Up this far north..?” …Wouldn’t that be an issue in the summer..?

Nods from the kids, who apparently didn’t realize that. “Mn! All executions happen at sunset..! Until Barbara is asleep, he can’t do anything..!” the boy- West, he reminded himself- explained. There was a light shudder from his sister at that, but she nodded.

“It’s as though that’s the only time she can do it- any other time, and people who argue against her are locked up.”

“Though there aren’t many who do that now…” West murmured, staring at the ground.

Yea… “Hn… Figured not… Well! There’s nothing to fear now..!” he said with a grin, helmet under his arm. “Crow-the-bullet-sama is here now..! So don’t you worry about a thing; your dad will be back here in no time..!”

“Ah!! You mean you can help..?” Nico exclaimed, a laugh coming from Aiapaec in response.

’ _Would we have come if that was not the case..?_ ’

Well look at that, they agreed again. …Eh, he wasn’t arguing in front of the kids. “Just watch,” he continued with a still holding grin. “Come sunset, everything will be fixed..!”

The smiles on their faces were for him, more than enough proof that he would succeed.

…As he would find later however…

It was nothing compared to reality.

“HEY! ‘BARBARA’!” he roared, standing in the middle of the village’s square not moments after he’d made his decision. Slowly, doors were opening from the homes around him. People poking their heads out to see who this outsider was, what business he dared to bring… “BARBARA!” he continued, Aiapaec floating next to him. “I’m on to your game..!” he taunted, a menacing grin on his face. “…I know what you’re doing…!”

“Such _presumptuous_ words…” a young woman’s voice responded, Crow turning around as a cloaked figure appeared. She carried in her hands a whip- long and bloody red in colour, and at her side floated what seemed to be a series of flames, circling her. “It isn’t even sundown…”

He merely narrowed his eyes, fists clenched. He could take this lady in a fight… He could take her easy, he told himself. So…

To the side the sun began to sink down to the horizon. Slowly moving toward the edge of the ground and sky… “Not long until that time though, is it..?” he responded darkly. “Normally you’d be doing something pretty onesided here, wouldn’t you..?”

Barbara narrowed her eyes. “Oh..? Is that so?” she asked, shaking her head. “Such stories you must be hearing… We are but a _small_ village, sustained only by the great resources in the mountain behind me… Even you cannot fault me for having those resources mined from its depths…”

“Tch.” He growled, narrowing his eyes. “I can when you’re killing people to make it happen… When you have kids terrified about what you’re doing..!”

No more kindness in those eyes. Barbara clicked her tongue, and allowed the whip’s line to fall to the ground. “Aaah… Is that why you’re here then..? Do you really want to test the limits of the Mountain Spirit..?” she continued, the sun touching the edge of the sky.

He gave no answer, save a slight tilt of the head.

That, as it turned out was all she needed. And without warning the whip flew forward, but it was not alone. As though tied to the hand of something from far beyond the veil, a blade…!

The whip would be easy for anyone to avoid. It was instinct that had him duck down and kick at the thing attached to it however. “NGH-!”

And in shock the whip was pulled back, Barbara’s eyes widening briefly. And from around her the flames gathered… converging upon a single point, rising up to form the shape of someone… Someone…

Crow stood. “…Kiryu…”

The spirit, eyes white and skin just as much so from beneath the tattered cloth from his days as a Dark Signer, seemed to stiffen from under the layers of chains. “ _….No…._ ”

“Kiryu..!” he shouted, both his opponent and the spirit himself briefly frozen in shock. “I’m here to help..!” Aiapaec was still at his side… Taking a step forward, he found himself grabbing for the ghost. “I… …We’re going to get you out of here..!”

“ _…Crow…_ ” If Kiryu was going to say anything more, he wouldn’t have known. In the instant he did what he had sworn not to do- in the moment he thrust Aiapaec’s being into his own…

“Tch..! It seems,” Barbara announced to those watching and unaware, “That the Spirit of the Mountain will be using me as a direct example against this fool..!”

And so the battle began.


	12. Chapter 12

What Barbara was wielding was an Over Soul.

She channeled- _forced,_ rather- Kiryu’s power through the whip in her hands, and when it struck the ground it _split_.

However despite this, she was having no luck in striking her opponent. Instead her opponent ducked and leaped over strike after strike, like a spider, or a cat, or…

He was coming closer. Because this time, Crow wasn’t ignoring Aiapaec.

This time, he _listened_.

And as he listened he adapted. He did not fight so much as dance around the moving whip, avoiding it and the fissures that began to appear because of it. Flips that one would think impossible were possible, and bursts of speed from a split second landing kept Barbara on her toes.

His aim was not the shaman however.

His aim was the medium. The charm dangling from the end of the whip. The rice-paper seal… The tag..!

Barbara realized this all too late as Crow rushed her. She rose the whip in attempt to strike, and-

“HrrHAH-!” A kick met with her jaw and knocked her backward. His hand came down and snatched at the tag as she flew. The tag burned in his hands, and in a split second he tore that…

“ _Nh…_ ” That might not have been a good idea. “ _NhRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-!!!_ ”

As he grabbed the seal the oversoul had dispersed, a chained Kiryu stumbling forward… …At which point Crow had torn the tag. And quite suddenly the spirit screamed, energy blasting from around and within, surrounding him as he grabbed at his head, curling in upon himself-

No… NO, NO! “K-KIRYU!” The chains were falling, but at what cost..!? “KIRYU!!”

Aiapaec was blown from his body, and Crow himself was knocked to the ground. ’ _GH- THIS ISN’T SUPPOSED TO BE HAPPENING…!_ ’

“WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING THEN!?”

The screaming rose in volume and there was no answer, the winds howled and the sky of the dusk hours darkened completely and-..!

In a single burst of energy, the winds were calmed.

…And Kiryu was gone…

…And Barbara had her chance. “PEOPLE OF THE VILLAGE!” she announced, a dark grin hidden by her cloak. “Did you see?” The people murmured amongst themselves, and Crow, for his injury, merely struggled to sit up. “The MOUNTAIN HAS SPOKEN!” Wh…

“What..?”

The woman pointed forward, and the villagers began to surround him. “He has been marked..!” she roared. “TAKE HIM TO THE MINES!”

“W-WHAT?!?”

’ _OH WELL THIS IS JUST **GRAND**!_ ’

“OI! HANDS OFF!!” Great. He was weak from the strain of fighting like he did, and there were at least twenty people grabbing at him… “OI!!! **OI**!!!!”

The last thing he saw before a jolt of electricity hit was Barbara’s grinning face… But the last thing he heard…

As he was carried away to the mountain rumbling came from beneath the ground… …And as the children watched from the side, they could only wonder what that meant.


	13. Chapter 13

“N-Nggh…”

When he wakes up, it’s warm.

That’s probably the first sign something is wrong, given the frigid weather he was in moments before.

A voice hisses from behind him- “Careful boy…” A stern one, but a worried one. “Easy there…” If he attempts to move his body rings with pain- a hand seems to be attempting to help him up, but thinks otherwise.

“Ngh..” Owowowowowowoww… “M’ head…”

“Yes you probably have quite the headache,” the voice whispered, and as Crow blearily opens his eyes he sees its owner looking back uneasily. “Best pretend you’re out of it a while longer… Unless you want a pick-axe in your hand.”

What… “Pickaxe…?”

Voices. A supervisor comes over, demanding to know his condition. The first man lies- says he’s still out. 

“Well if he’s like this much longer he’s better off dead!” the marked supervisor growls. “We don’t feed you to lie around and do nothing..!”

The fact that they even get food is probably a miracle in itself to be honest. But even Barbara realizes that working a man until he starves or expires from exhaustion is a good way to run out of people to mine the mountain.

Regardless. The next time Crow wakes up he isn’t so lucky, and he has an axe in his hand and to the rock. He’d be tempted to start a riot and break out if not for one thing-

The miners are _terrified_. They’re in the belly of the beast and if they make one wrong move…

Rumors of violent death have been proved long ago.

“They threatened to close this mine due to budget cuts,” the man beside him murmured. “That was when Radley was the foreman. Now we have Lotten, and his wife…”

Somehow he could guess who the wife was. “…Barbara.”

A nod. “Soon as news got out there was a fight- between Lotten’s older brother, and Radley. Brutal fight- Radley almost won too. …Then Barbara did something…”

If a wind came through the mine, the man didn’t feel it. Maybe it came from that tunnel off to the other side of him- behind that vent. He could probably get through there on the next shift…

…In about two hours. As it were. Aiapaec was silent despite floating alongside him now, and as he worked at the stone Crow scowled. “Tch… Ran into that…”

Surprise. Horror. Maybe even awe… “You… And you _LIVED_?” he hissed, eyes wide.

Crow merely looked back, and then…

Dust was falling from the ceiling. Rumbling coming from the air…

“LOOK OUT!” he cried, pulling the man back as the cavern collapsed. As stone rumbled and quaked, as rocks fell to the ground and Crow dragged his ‘coworker’ off behind the vent and into the tunnel.

They got lucky, doing that.

Not two feet in and the hole was blocked. That… ’ _…That quake was no coincidence…_ ’ Aiapaec hissed, narrowing his eyes. ’ _Hnnn…’_

“You…” Crow looked back to the man, watching as he slowly came back to his feet. “You saved my life…”

Ah- Well… “I couldn’t just leave you there could I..?” Because letting a rockfall kill this guy would have been so great right???

The man swallowed, nodding. “…You can’t be more than a few years older than my daughter…” he whispered, shaking his head. “…What’s your name..?”

“…Crow Hogan,” he said after a brief pause, dropping the proud 'bullet!’ title in the face of more shaking events. “And you?”

“Sergio,” the man responded. “Sergio…”

Right… A nod, and he moved to walk down the tunnel. “Right… Lets get you back to that daughter of yours then, eh?”

Sergio smiled at that, and with minor difficulty followed. “Mnnn… I can’t wait to see them both, Nico and West…” Ni-

“They’re _YOUR_ …" As the man turned to look at him Crow paled, looking away and nodding. "They’re good kids,” he said after a short moment. “You should be proud.”

There was no more response than a brief look of shock before it was replaced with obvious relief. There wouldn’t be much time to leave after all; and who knew how deep these mines-

“ _…Crow._ ”

“Gh-!”

Sergio turned, unable to see what Crow did. “…Crow? Is something wrong..?”

He hurriedly shook his head. “No- it’s fine.”

Kiryu seems almost confused by that- as though he had forgotten that he was…

“…” He nodded, and turned, realizing that a proper conversation wouldn’t likely work well for the moment. “ _…You removed the chains…_ ” he stated quietly, voice seeming to echo as the living ones walked. “ _…It cleared my head. …Thank you, Crow…”_

The spirit looked back. However rather than a smile he was met with a grim, and potentially even grieving expression from his friend. A look that said, 'yea, I removed the chains.

’…But you’re still _here_.’

And in this silence Kiryu found himself thinking upon that himself, before turning back. “ _...This path will lead you out of the mountain. Out of the mines…_ ” He looked upward, narrowing his eyes. “ _…I’ve never been here before, yet…_ ” He grimaced, clutching his chest and cutting that train of thought short. “ _…It feels like I’m being poisoned…_ ”

…Poisoned..?

’ _Feeling attached..?_ ’ Aiapaec asked from his side, Kiryu turning as they continued on their path. ’ _You haven’t moved on- there’s a reason for that,_ ’ he continued calmly, an almost chilled tone accompanying his words. ’ _Most likely, between that and the 'illness’ you have now…_ ’

Crow’s jaw clenched, and he deliberately forced himself not to listen to any more of what the spirit said. No. No- that hadn’t happened. If Kiryu was dead that was one thing- he’d have thought, from what the dragon had said months ago, that it would even be for the better.

But trapped..!?

“…The mountain wasn’t always like this,” Sergio murmured from beside him. And from where he floated feet ahead of them, Kiryu paused. The two began to pass him. And slowly he followed alongside, just beside Crow- listening. 

And when Crow made it clear he was listening as well, Sergio continued.

“This mountain… It’s abundant with the resources needed for D-Wheels, Duel-Disks… And all manner of devices… 'Dyne’. It’s been here for thousands of years- but with what we’re doing now, we’re stealing it of all that has gathered here…”

“…Stealing..?” he asked, and strangely enough Kiryu seemed curious himself. Almost expectant even, waiting for what Sergio would say next.

Sergio of course, noticed only the cautious attentiveness of the red-head walking with him, and continued. “We were fools, to think that we could do such a thing without punishment,” he lamented. “We stole from the mountain and now we will die doing so. I don’t blame the spirit for this,” Sergio told him. “No… The Mountain Spirit has every right to turn on us through our crimes… …Now… We will die doing what we wished to do…”

“Ah…” Wh-What… “O-Oi, that’s not…!”

He found himself cut off not by the half broken look Sergio gave him in response, but a breeze that seemed to pass them. A light wind, shifting…

Without pausing in his gait he turned his head to the side, looking to Kiryu; the spirit seemed frozen, if not in shock, then…

…He had calmed. Brightened even. Where he had looked almost skeletal outside he seemed more human now than ever despite the still white eyes he had, and the still tattered cloth on his being. He seemed…

’ _It would seem your attachment to this mountain is kicking in,_ ’ Aiapaec observed, Crow stiffening as he looked ahead and away from the god. ’ _…If you can calm your rage with the words of someone who believes…_ ’

Gh…

Kiryu himself reacted with a fair amount of shock, albeit in silence. He turned to Aiapaec, eyes wide and an anger threatening to build again…

…Somehow he couldn’t stay angry. Somehow he felt like he knew every inch of this mountain, even the depths untouched by mankind.

…Somehow…

“ _…This isn’t your fault Crow,_ ” he announced instead, voice calm yet again. Wasn’t it though? He’d torn the charm, he’d broken the chains, and suddenly…

Wind met his face but it wasn’t of a spiritual origin this time. And as he and the spirits both looked up, Sergio’s eyes brightened. “Ahhh… Wind..!” he laughed quietly, taking a few steps forward before breaking into a run. “Fresh air..! My children, I can see-!”

-BANG!-

Crow ran for the man but it was already far too late. A bleeding hole from his throat as he choked for air, panic setting in in an instant as the light in Sergio’s eyes faded, never once having expected the mob that was approaching from outside…

The ground rumbled.

The air stilled.

“Crow…” Kiryu’s voice was tight with rage and his very being seemed to crackle and flare as he spoke. “You’ve proven you’re a shaman already. I need to ask-”

His words were cut short as Crow stood, his own eyes blazing with rage as shouts came from the mountain. “Aiapaec,” he asked coolly. “ _Do we have a common interest_?”

The spirit, caught off guard by the remark, seemed to briefly stiffen in surprise… Before nodding sternly. ’ _We do_.’

He stepped forward into the moonlight and shouts continued from the village below. But as bullets fired they struck nothing…

And, using the knowledge gained from Aiapaec, the 'spirit of the mountain’ rose.

Nothing but pebbles. That was all they needed. Nothing but pebbles and a **GIANT** tore through the earth like sand.

It wasn’t quite 'Ccapac’. That was understandable really, and Kiryu was no cyclops as it was. The giant whose shoulder they stood on was slimmer, more elongated, and while he resembled no human ever seen he at least had two eyes.

It wasn’t as though this was anything more than an extension of what they thought a spirit of destruction ought to look like, really. Screams tore through the air- with but a hand buildings that had stood for years were knocked to the ground, leaving none of those Barbara had in her unfair employ left to stand. This was the rage of the mountain, as she had put it. THIS was the rage that she had seen fit to ignore..!

And clouds of dust rose up from the wreckage…

In the back of his mind, Aiapaec spoke, Crow watching with grim distaste. This was the power of the Earthbound God that was now destroyed. The power Kiryu’s spirit absorbed in death. There was no rhyme or reason for why that power had brought him here. Perhaps it was an empty mountain, perhaps the last spirit was destroyed by the mines themselves.

There was no answer.

But when all was done, the oversoul faded… And Crow, taking a few steps forward, looked on as the village’s remaining people fled, by any means possible, from the 'monster’ that had struck.

…Turning back, it seemed they were standing in a graveyard. That was probably why the tunnel exited here, really. When the meager food and sleep wasn’t enough, and the miners perished…

…This was where the bodies were taken.

Kiryu’s spirit looked over the tombs quite grimly before he spoke. “ _…I put most of these here,_ ” he stated coldly, white eyes growing dim. “. _..And I never even noticed until now…_ ” He turned, and with the silence from Crow and Aiapaec both he continued. “ _…I… …I can’t move on,_ ” he realized, closing his eyes in what Crow thought to be 'defeat’.

“…Kiryu…” He ground his teeth, staring at the ground. “…I’m sorry. Maybe, if I hadn’t broken that charm-” As Kiryu shook his head he stopped, frowning. “Ah… K-Kiryu..?”

Aiapaec was the one to speak. ’ _Nothing you did could have stopped this,_ ’ he told him, looking to Kiryu. ’ _…Your spirit isn’t bound to anything. It simply 'is’. A mountain spirit without a mountain couldn’t exist; so you found one. Most likely, if it hadn’t been for that, this place would have been reduced to a quarry,_ ’ he continued with a shrug.

“ _…Hn._ ” After a short span of silence, the spirit had to smirk. “ _Is that so..?_ ” He looked back to the mountain, and then back to his friend. And behind his friend…

“C-Crow..!” “Kiryu..!” The kids.

Crow stepped back as they ran over, and for a moment, the spirit looked down upon them. Their eyes gave away what they knew, really. Between the rumble of the ground, and the cave in, and the fact that all that was let of the village now was a flattened wasteland, with a plot of graves…

Kiryu closed his eyes a moment, and then looked back to Crow. …And he smiled. “ _…I think I can be satisfied with this,_ ” he decided. “ _…I’ll protect these two… And whoever comes here will answer to that. I’ve made up for what I’ve done now,_ ” he continued, watching his friend’s face twist between despair and relief all at once. “ _…You can be satisfied with that as well._ ” Kiryu was fine. That was great- he should have been happy about this, he should…

Gh… “But what do I tell the others then?” he ground out, shaking his head. “You’re dead..! But at the same time…”

Dammit…

How could he smile so easily now..!?

“ _…You don’t have to tell them anything,_ ” he answered. “ _Just keep my memory alive._ ”

…His bike was at the edge of the village, having been moved there by Nico and West, for fear someone would steal it from their shack. As he left in silence, he found it easily.

…Taking the helmet up from the carrier there, he looked back to the village. It wasn’t supposed to end like _this_ …! It wasn’t..! If the others could at least see-!

Driving out, he passed a sign and stopped, staring at it for a moment.

’Houra-ku - Dyne Mountain’, it read.

…He still had some of that dyne rock with him, didn’t he?

…

Any who cared to visit the mountain after that would find nothing. As though the village were spirited away, leaving nothing but a dusty shack which seemed entirely abandoned. Oh, there were still tunnels in the mountains. Remains of a mine no longer in use, old lifts and remote controlled carts that had since ceased function.

But somehow, as the visiting men stared at where there had once been a village they couldn’t see reason to continue that here. It was too unstable, too risky- forget reclaiming the mine under new management..! The people who had fled in exodus had no clue what had attacked them, talking nonsense of spirits, demons..!

They’d leave it. Give people a trail to hike on, put up signs… Some people in the town nearby were petitioning for a shrine to be built there he heard, so that could be good.

'Dyne Mountain’ seemed like a pretty poor choice of names though, he found himself thinking. Same as 'Houra’.

“God dammit…”

“Mn?” The man blinked, watching one of the locals with him scowl at the sign outside the 'village’. “What?”

“Vandals,” the local growled. “Completely destroyed this sign..!”

Destroyed it..?

He looked at it a moment, blinking. Looked like someone had scraped the wood from the sign and re-carved it from scratch…

“Take way too much to replace this, dammit-” A hand was put on the local’s shoulder, the work-man leaning to stare at the sign.

“…'Satisfaction’..?”

“Don’t ask me sir, I don’t-”

“No,” the workman chuckled, turning away. “It’s a good name.”

’ **Manzouku-san** ’.

Had a nice ring to it.


	14. Chapter 14

He’d forgotten about how he was supposed to deal with coming _back_  from Hokkaido apparently.

And, well.

They all knew what Jack was like when he was stressed out by something. “Oiii!” It wasn’t normally very good. “CROW! Where were you..!?”

“Er…”

Uh… The fact that it took him a week total to get from the time he left to the time he got back didn’t help.

“…I had business..?”

“For a week..!?” Jack wasn’t having it dammit! “The tournament is about to start..! We can’t lose any practice time..!!”

Hahaha… Really?? “Never thought I’d hear that from you…”

“WHAT?!”

“Jack.” At Yuusei’s voice the blond stopped, crossing his arms and standing back. However, that didn’t mean that Crow himself was getting out of anything either. “…Crow. We were worried, aah?” What?

He rubbed the back of his head. “Seriously..? After how many years without me..?” At the look he got he smirked, shaking it off. “Don’t worry- I won’t be leaving again any time soon..! What I left town for… It was just some loose ends, yea?”

“Loose ends..?” Ah, that would be Bruno…

If there was one thing _awesome_ about Bruno being here, it was the fact that Aiapaec refused to come out of the tablet really. ‘Something about him ain’t right..!’ was his excuse. Hahahaaa…

Aaaaahh… He shrugged off Bruno’s question with relative ease. “Yea. Something from before the garage.”

…It wasn’t a lie, he would tell himself as he drove to Old Momentum later.

It wasn’t a lie, he just didn’t specify that when he said 'before the garage’ he meant a combination of the Dark Signers and the old days of Satisfaction.

It wasn’t..!

Old Momentum as a hide-away was really shaping up now. Admittedly, he’d been bringing more in than he had taking out in most recent days.

Within a week of coming back, he admitted that he wasn’t quite on _horrible_ terms with Aiapaec. Truth be told, that was probably 'official’ when he’d asked for his help at Houra-ku- rather… 'Satisfaction Mountain’ as he called it in his head.

…He had a feeling Aiapaec, despite reputation and action, had just been waiting for the words to come from his chosen partner’s mouth.

Which, apparently meant…

’ _Alright, Crow!_ ’

…He just used his **name**.

It certainly had his attention for the next bit, so. ’ _As I’ve said- Hyoui Gattai is the weakest technique; you can draw from my memories and skills while using it, but it’s nothing compared to bringing my actual being into reality. You saw this at the mountain; it’s called an 'Over Soul’…_ ’

Admittedly… It sounded pretty cool now that he realized he wouldn’t be in any more possession risks.

Unfortunately…

’ _Hn! This is taking longer than I had hoped…_ ’ the spirit muttered darkly, an exhausted Crow grinding his teeth in response.

“Gh- Way to remind me..!”

The Old Momentum building was surprisingly well lit by this point, and some of the rooms he’d found were absolutely _massive_. Between this and the guaranteed solitude he had from pretty much everyone else in the world, it made for quite the training ground.

Now if only he could actually manifest a proper 'over soul’ to work with.

“Ugh…” Not fun. Between the sudden grindstone approach Aiapaec had, and the coming tournament…

D-Dammit he didn’t want to waste time in either thing..!!

…Probably why he was wasting time driving around the city late at night then, hahahaaaaa…

“Mnnn… How am I supposed to figure out how much energy I’m using if I can’t feel it…” he grumbled, shaking his head as he drove. Stupid, stu- “NGH-!”

Tires screeched against the road as he abruptly pulled himself to a stop, the streets thankfully empty at this time of night. Whatever he almost hit didn’t seem to react however. And as he looked over the end of the bike…

“F-Fire..?”

Aiapaec took a rather wary look. ’ _Not of this realm._ ’ He moved to inspect it, narrowing his eyes. ’ _Strange, this place isn’t the sort you’d find animal spirits…_ ’

“What does that have to do with fire..!?”

He looked at him as though it were obvious. ’ _Foxes. Cats. If an animal spirit gains proper awareness after some time, they unlock considerable power; small wisps like this are child’s play for them._ ’

…

“Oh.”

As he said this the fire sparked out, appearing a fair distance away. ’ _Hmmm… Even stranger…_ ’

“Gh-” Stranger!? “You don’t know what this is then..!?”

’ _Well, there’s only one real way to find out isn’t there..?_ ’

“Heh!” Point that!

The engine started up again and-

“Eh?”

…Immediately died. ’ _…what’s going on…_ ’

“Th-The engine died..!!”

’ _Mmn? Well start it up again..!_ ’

“I’m trying..!!” D-DAMMIT!! “I knew Bruno was working on it, but he was supposed to make it better…!” aAAAAHGH…

They wound up pushing the bike back that evening.

Well.

…He did, at least.

Perhaps in the end it was for the best though…

It meant that when he was looked for the next day, there was no issue in where he was.


	15. Chapter 15

Spirits, at their core, were emotion.

A whole load of emotion forming a collective being mind- but that was what they were in the end. Whether or not a spirit had a body- a solid form to express that emotion- that was the question.

Whether or not they would be transformed by their strongest emotions…

Typically keeping this from happening was simple enough, really. A proper burial would send a spirit on their way, or at least appease them. In the case of others, it was a matter of respect, memory…

In this case, a grave wasn’t enough.

Pity then, that Crow didn’t know that.


	16. Chapter 16

“It took three years to find this..?”

Crow was sitting on a ledge not far from the garage as both Ushio and Mikage questioned him, a photo of a card known as ‘Blood Mephisto’ in his hands.

Ushio, for his part, seemed to be reacting to it all with about as grim an attitude as Crow. “Unfortunately yes,” he admitted with a nod. “Security keeps track of cards like these; because of something in their programming, the light that builds their holograms cause too much damage…”

“Most of them were confiscated, or destroyed,” Mikage continued. “It wasn’t until recently however that we were able to narrow it down to this card.”

“…However, that’s where the problem comes in,” Ushio grumbled. “I don’t like admitting it, but the search was hampered by Godwin’s work until recently; most manpower was put toward things that 'mattered more’, and this particular hunt got buried in the system…”

As Crow visibly grew angry about this, Mikage coughed. “That isn’t the point though; there are very few copies of this card… So we were wondering if you’d perhaps seen someone with it.”

“A lot of cards in Satellite weren’t keyed to anyone’s deck in particular,” Ushio added. “So we can’t track it in any way other than word-of-mouth…”

That was what they said but…

He grimaced, shaking his head. “Sorry. I haven’t seen it…”

He couldn’t change what he didn’t know.

…But then again…

Perhaps _he_ would know, he told himself later that evening. Granted, they hadn’t seen each other since the very incident he’d been approached about but…

“Oii! Jack! I’m borrowing this!”

“AH- WHAT!?”

Wheel of Fortune was a pretty ridiculously huge D-Wheel for him, but really, better than walking.

As it were. Aiapaec floated beside him with crossed arms, looking down to the boy. ’ _Murder, eh? Care to explain..?_ ’

“…” His eyes grew dim at that. “…It’s been a while,” he admitted. “…I don’t like thinking about it.”

The spirit however, would not take that for his only answer. And so…

He explained.

Three years ago, not long before Kiryu had died, there was a man named Robert Pearson. He and Bolger… They weren’t originally from Satellite, but somehow they had wound up there- and they were stuck.

Didn’t mean they weren’t smart though. Building Duel Disks and D-Wheels was their specialty; but that wasn’t why he’d known them.

“He looked after me, and the kids… And many others. Him and Bolger. …But one day there was a fire…” …Arson. Intentional or unintentional? That was the question. Pearson had been slammed against the ground and buried in rubble and the lantern he’d had with him crashed and set the entire building aflame. The only thing that really survived was the D-Wheel, and even then it was barely; cards protected by the seat compartment, same as the Duel Disk…

He’d had to repair so much of that old bike… That was when he’d given it wings, really. For Pearson. For his memory…

Bolger had left soon after that fire, and in his absence Crow looked after the rest of the kids. Time moved forward.

But now… “…Bolger might know if there was someone with this card,” he told his partner, parking Jack’s D-wheel outside a large company building. “…And if I’m right…”

This was probably it. So if he could just go in, and-

'LOOK OUT!’ a voice cried from the side, and without warning the sound of crumbling met the air. A shadow appeared above him, and with barely a second to react he leaped back, eyes wide and sweat coming off his face.

“Hah… H-Hahh…”

“H-Hey you alright..??”

“Ahah…” The sign…

The sign… Just…

He was in a fair bit of shock to be honest, so it barely registered when someone started calling his name. He was frozen… Sitting…

_Crow_ …

**_Crow_** …

“Crow..!”

“Gh-!” He turned, looking up. “I-…” Wait, this was… “…Bolger..!”

…What was it with everyone getting glasses dammit!?!

Bolger for his part seemed quite relieved- and, helping him up, shook his head. “It’s been some time… I didn’t expect to see you in this sort of situation though…”

A look toward the sign- Aiapaec himself seemed curiously quiet about it, looking about it with a narrowed stare. As it were… “Er… Y-Yea…” H-he hadn’t either…

“Is there any reason you’re here?” Re-

Oh! “Ah- Yea, I needed to talk…”

The two would walk inside the building as they started on that subject, leaving the actual reason to when they were in quiet spaces and sticking to casual catching up for the time.

Aiapaec however seemed to look up to where the sign had hung…

Before fading back to where he could sit within his memory tablet and think.


	17. Chapter 17

Things got rather grim when he got to the topic of why he was there.

Bolger had made it big time- their company was one of the top ones in the line of D-Wheel construction, and for good reason. He’d sponsored and helped to train a few teams despite the few years he’d had…

…However, there was no cheer any more.

“…Truth is… …There’s a lead on Pearson’s death.” He pulled out the paper with Blood Mephisto’s card image, and slowly Bolger looked it over. For a moment he couldn’t see his eyes due to the glare on the glasses. However… “…Recognize it?”

“No,” Bolger responded, shaking his head. He’d just finished offering the boy a run around his D-Wheel test course. And then this? He put the paper down, and, drink in hand, moved to look out the large window of the room. “…You’ll understand if I don’t have much more to say except that.”

No response from Crow. When Bolger looked back at him, he saw nothing but a scowl.

“…It’s been three years Crow.”

“And you’re not interested in finding his killer..!?”

Bolger’s expression- despair, carefully controlled into an expression of impassiveness but still cracking somewhat behind the glasses- did not change. And he shook his head. “No Crow. I just want to move on.”

He opened his mouth…

…And closed it. Maybe he was working with ghosts too much…

But somehow he could relate. He nodded, put the picture back in his vest pocket…

“…What did happen to it?” Bolger asked as the boy turned, Crow looking back in silence. “…The Blackbird… …I never did find out.”

“…Burned,” he answered. “Badly.” Took all he could to fix it… Lots of careful hunting in scrapyards, lots of stolen parts…

Before he could say that however Bolger nodded. “I see,” he said quietly. “…The offer still stands,” he continued, looking back. “I’m assuming you have your own D-Wheel of course.” It was fairly obvious the one he brought wasn’t his- the Wheel of Fortune was very much one-of-a-kind after all, and in response Crow nodded.

“Ahh…” He… “…I’ll think about it,” he said after a brief pause, forcing a smile.

…Leaving the building…

…Was as depressing as the talk, really. Passing the sign that was being pulled back up (‘third time this month…’ someone muttered), looking up at the black sky…

In the end, Bolger wanted to forget, but he was no different from himself in that regard. They hadn’t at all moved on, in the end…

Not at all…

Getting back on the Wheel of Fortune he sighed, shaking his head. It was a longshot, in the end. …A long…

He blinked, squinting as something appeared in the distance. “O-Oiii, that’s…”

’ _Same flame as before…_ ’

The engine revved and he tore after it, watching as it vanished and re-appeared further up the road. “Tch! Not going to lose us this time..!!”

’ _Try not to out-pace it too..!_ ’

“I’m not going to fly past it or anything..!!” he snapped back, the flames appearing and vanishing and re-appearing in succession as he drove. “Don’t worry..!!”

’ _Don’t wo- WATCH IT…!_ ’

Looking back to the road he hurriedly brought the bike to a screeching halt, the side tapping against the railing of the bridge entrance he’d come to. There was no one on the bridge at this time at night- only commerce tended to go back and forth by this time, and there wasn’t going to be anything (legal at least) open.

There was no one here…

And as he looked to the flame hovering just above the waters in the hole between the bridge he growled. “TCH… Can’t beat me in a fight so you try and drive me off the edge..!?”

The fire hovered innocently, and vanished, Crow grumbling under his breath as Aiapaec frowned.

“Stupid ghosts… And I still don’t know what it is..! Do you?” he asked, snapping the spirit from his thoughts.

Aiapaec never had the chance to answer, as the flame faded the moment he moved to inspect it…

…And appeared further down the gap. “What…”

’ _…A malevolent spirit wouldn’t continue moving if it were going to stop at driving you off the edge,_ ’ the ghost stated clearly, looking back down. ’ _Whatever it wants you to see, it’s across this bridge..!_ ’

_Across_ the bridge..?

He wasn’t sure what to make of that. He started up the engine, continued down the road… The flame remained ahead, above, and beside him. Higher, higher… Reaching a center point and then lowering ba-

“Gh- The Daedalus bridge..!”

It was following the original bridge’s path..! And from there…

The little flame continued to wisp, and so Crow followed. Further into Satellite, further, further…

He was moving nowhere he recognized to be honest. Just… Moving it felt like. Until-

“…It’s leading us to Old Momentum..?”

’ _Odd…_ ’

The two stared at the small wisp before them, the little flame appearing to pause rather than flicker out as before. Stepping out from the bike, he approached- And it faded. “Tch… Oii! I’m not going to hurt you or anything..!!”

Silence.

Ahhh… He had a feeling that would be the answer then…

Quite suddenly however, he was surrounded by little fires. “NGH- What!?”

The flames danced, trilling sounds coming from them. _'miiiii…’ 'miiii’ 'miiiiiiiiii~’_

And all the while his partner laughed. ’ _Ohohhhh… I think I may know what these are now…_ ’ Aiapaec murmured, Crow merely looking up with a snarl.

“Th… That’s great..! Now help get them off..!”

’ _And why should I do that?_ ’ he responded with a smirk, Crow sputtering as he was tackled by the flames. ’ _They won’t **burn** you._ ’

“G-HHH!-” AAAAA- what. Flat on his back, he choked as one fell flat on his face. They looked a little different up close, now that he looked. Actually…

_'miiiiiii…’_

…Well what were the odds. They really weren’t burning him. If anything, it felt more like hair thin cloth brushing against him, or maybe feathers… He sat up, inspecting them. “Ah… They have eyes..?” Tiny, beady little eyes that blended in with the flames actually. It was a little…

’ _Hnhnhnhn… Calm down..!’_ the spirit laughed, grinning. ’ _These are the most minor of demons- your country’s shaman call them 'kooni’ last I checked._ ’

D-Demons..?? “These things..?” He snorted. “They don’t look like it..!”

’ _I should think not- they’re the smallest remember. Still, fire demons…_ ’

“Eh?” He played around with one of the smaller ones, looking up as Aiapaec’s frown returned. “What, you forget something life-threatening..?”

_'Hnnn, it’s odd is all… Fire demons tend to converge around sources of flame, not places like this. For them to show up here…_ ’

A chill ran down Crow’s spine, and as Aiapaec finished his sentence the shaman paled.

’ _…There’s normally a far larger, far **greater** source…_ ’

’ _ **Grrrnnnnnnnnnnnn…**_ ’

He really, really didn’t want to turn around right now.


	18. Chapter 18

“HAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!”

HOW. THE FUCK. DID THIS HAPPEN.

“ ** _KrrrRREEEEEERRRRRRR!!!_** ”

The avian screech echoed behind him and as he pushed Jack’s D-Wheel to its limits it felt as though hell itself was on his tail.

The metaphor itself wasn’t wholly inaccurate- the flame sprites charged along right beside him, harmless, but behind him the flames roared fiercely. A monster, hooked beak and bladed wings could be seen within them, and he dared not look back as he drove.

’ _Of all the times for a spirit of this level..!’_

“THE HELL IS THAT EVEN SUPPOSED TO MEAN!”

’ _KEEP DRIVING!_ ’

HahahAHA… TELL HIM SOMETHING HE DIDN’T KNOW.

Another screech and the beaked face lunged, Crow only narrowly avoiding its strike. This was bad… This was bad, bad bad..!

He couldn’t keep track of where he was going… He couldn’t leave Satellite either, the gate on the bridge wouldn’t last…

And at the same time, looking behind him…

He swallowed, watching as the street he looped around was engulfed briefly in flames, leaving scorched ground beneath it. Yea.

He couldn’t keep this up for long.

Faster, he willed himself, jaw clenched and eyes wide as he drove. Faster, faster..!

FASTER..!

’ ** _kREEEEEEERRRRRRRSCHHHHHHH_**!’

“NH…. HHHAAAAAAAAAAAH-!!!”

’ _Crow! WATCH IT!_ ’

What-??

As he came to the next turn flames met his path, and swerving to avoid them he found the bike toppling to its side. The flaming beast was coming closer…

There was nothing left but a hill to the side…

“Shit..!" 

Bolting from the bike’s site he watched as the monster changed course, not even bothering to pause at the bike. And while idly he thought about how _grateful_ Jack had better be about that fact, he found himself far more concerned with running. Running up the hill and past the few trees there were, past the rows and rows and rows of stones and-

"Ngh-!” Toes caught on the end of one of them, and he fell flat on his face. There was no time for this though. No time, he protested inwardly, struggling to stand in his panic. And if he didn’t move-

’ ** _kRRRESSSSSSSCH…. REEEEERRRREEEESSSSSSSCHHH…!_** ’

As he turned around and flinched under the screams, he waited for the end…

…But the end did not come. Stopping barely two feet from the stone he was sitting atop of the monster merely flapped its wings and screeched with rage, as though blind to anything in Crow’s radius. It thrashed and burned and roared…

…And then it vanished.

“Hah…. Hhah….” His heart pounded against his chest, and swallowing his fear he slowly stood. “Hah… What…”

’ _A very, **very** angry spirit, that’s what,_ ’ Aiapaec growled. ’ _Why it fixated on you is the better question,_ ’ he added, the shaman in question too busy choking on his own breath.

“Hahhh… hah… GhHhaah…” That… “Wh… What made it stop… Wh…”

Aiapaec merely continued frowning, turning to look down upon the stone they were standing next to. It took but a split second for him to read it. And with what he saw… ’ _…This might have something to do with it._ ’

What..? He turned, and for a moment in the darkness he saw nothing.

Only a moment, however. And when the name did clear up, it did not in any way ease his heart. He fell to his knees- as though a closer look could perhaps prove him wrong, say it had nothing to do with it but…

‘ROBERT PEARSON’ the tomb read. Followed by a standard birthdate-deathdate…

Pearson…

…It stopped at pearson’s…

At this point, he didn’t care what Aiapaec said or did. At this point, Crow did the only thing he could in that instant.

And so, collapsed on his knees as he was, he bowed his head and wept… For until he either exhausted himself completely, or otherwise.


	19. Chapter 19

They found him there, at the grave-site.

It was Ruka of all people who told them where, however. She said a spirit came to her- one with dark skin and a helm like a jaguar… Snakes tied about his belt, and fangs pointing in both directions.

…And though she seemed afraid, and unsure that what the spirit said was the truth, she sought help.

Crow hadn’t realized how close to death he’d come, in the end. Fire, even from a few feet away, could burn.

And burn he did.

There wasn’t much time before the tournament. Only two weeks. And with this first one now, it would be spent recovering from his burns. Lying in a bed, barely able to move without searing pain…

He hated it. _HATED_ it..!

…At least now however, he supposed… …It was ‘confirmed’ to the others, who it was he was talking to when there was no one there. Who it was he spoke with when no one was looking…

Jack’s bike was fine, so he was told. And his bike as well; Bruno had gotten the engine running again, it would start if it was supposed to…

Laying on his back, he stared at the ceiling, and in a repeat of thoughts that he had held silent most of the week Crow found himself unable to remain quiet any longer. “…It can’t be him,” he whispered, almost to himself. “It can’t…”

’ _An angry spirit is no longer the being it was in life, or even after initial death,_ ’ Aiapaec responded coolly, easily guessing at what the shaman was muttering about. ’ _There is nothing that says it **cannot.**_ ’

He shook his head, teeth grinding. “It can’t be him..!” he shouted, no longer caring if he was heard. They’d figure it out… It was obvious he was talking to _someone_ wasn’t it..!? It…

The spirit sighed, arms crossed. ’ _Tch. Perhaps, you’re due for another lesson…_ ’

Crow’s head snapped toward the ghost, and he instantly regretted it. Burns… bURNS, OW… Still. “ _NOW_?” he hissed, eyes wide. “I can think of PLENTY better times..!”

’ _And you’d be wrong,_ ’ he retorted. ’ _This is a matter of your life, **boy**. Unless you intend to be hunted by fire for the rest of your short life, I suggest you **listen**._ ’

It was clear that he wasn’t willing to do so- however, forcing himself to keep his mouth closed, he nodded.

And so, Aiapaec explained.

’ _Anyone who dies wrongly. Anyone who dies a violent death… Has the potential to be overcome by their less pleasant emotions. You saw it at the mountain, in a sense; when your friend razed an **entire village** to the ground,_ ’ he offered in example, Crow quite deliberately not responding to that.

’ _However in this case… It’s quite different from the rage of a nature spirit. This is pure, all encompassing rage, brought on by an unfinished task. Death closes in… And maybe the body isn’t buried, maybe there was something they needed to do… Any one of these things in the event of, for example, a violent murder, could send a spirit out of its mind..!_ ’

“…Is that why the Dragon took your power?” he asked, Aiapaec’s words bringing to mind another conversation. When an entire people began to fall… When the people Aiapaec called his 'children’ were under attack from a force that the likes of the entire world had never seen…

The Crimson Dragon had said, rather than deal with a spirit of some other level, he and a few others stole and scattered his power… So was this..?

’ _Hn! Think what you will on that,_ ’ the god growled in response. ’ _But listen well. Death by fire is enough to drive a spirit mad **without** unfinished business. Combined the two and you have the potential for a **nasty** sort of spirit on your hands… And these don’t back down without reason. You won’t be seeing your friend’s face until you can calm it- and that…_ ’ Aiapaec chuckled darkly, white-gold eyes narrowing. ’ _Well! The difficulty of that **varies** after all._ ’

…Calm the spirit…

A million thoughts were racing through his head now. The Blood Mephisto card, the flaming sprites he’d followed from Bolger’s building to almost his home…

…Well. Partial home, really. This garage- this was where he slept. The building where he spent most of his time was apparently the better of options howe-

Thoughts ground to a halt, and his eyes widened.

’ _Mmn? Think of something then?_ ’

He didn’t answer.

If he’d kept following the spirits, where would they have taken him? To the Old Momentum? No. He never entered through the epicenter of the blast any more, that was obvious.

He drove in the same direction to reach the graveyard.

He drove in the same direction to the _only place_ it couldn’t get him..!

And that time before, where would it have taken him? He didn’t follow the flames but he hadn’t turned backward, and for all he knew it was the power of two Signers that kept the spirit- he refused to call _it_ Pearson- at bay. He…

The more he thought, the more realization dawned on him, and the more he refused to believe it.

'third time this month’, the people at Bolger’s building had said, when the sign toppled from above.

There was no way in _hell_ that a building like that would allow such a thing. No way.

But if… It was tied to Bolger somehow…

Sitting up he hissed, but forced himself to stand. ’ _Oi…_ ’ His jaw was held tight and his burns stung fiercely but despite this he moved, ignoring short protests from the ghost beside him. ’ _OI! Where the heck do you think you’re going brat!?’_

He opened the door, looking downstairs- good. The others were out. Probably practicing on the track.

And regardless of the pains of his currently reddened skin he moved for his D-Wheel and helmet.

“…I think I’ll take Bolger up on his offer,” he finally answered the spirit, receiving a look of confusion in response. He didn’t know if Bolger’s involvement was no good.

Hell, he didn’t want to believe that whatever Bolger had to do with things had led to Pearson’s end..! But as the garage door opened and the bike started up, one thing was clear.

He wasn’t going to find out unless he tried.

And in the end, what better way to do so, then a duel?


	20. Chapter 20

Bolger hadn’t expected to see the Blackbird there, that much was clear. Initially, he thought it didn’t really matter.

However thinking back on it now there had seemed to be an almost desperate glimmer of hope in his eyes, as though something…

What that something was however, he never said. Instead, Crow went straight to the point. “Hey- how about a duel?”

“A duel?” The man raised an eyebrow. “I expected you to be more interested in testing the bike’s speed…” The unsaid ‘not to mention you look like a tomato and should probably actually be in a bed somewhere right now’ hung on the air for a moment there, and Crow cut the silence short.

“The WRGP starts in a week,” he explained in his defense. “I’ve missed a lot of time- and I want to make sure I’m ready. Also…” the duelist continued, Bolger seeming to stiffen at the narrowed glare coming his way, “…I have some questions.”

This time, he got defensive. It was hard to catch- he covered it well.

But it was enough that he knew. He knew… “You didn’t tell me the truth when I asked about Bloody Mephisto, did you?” he accused coldly, Bolger’s feigned innocence dropping for stone defiance and a wash of well hidden fear. “You know something..!”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about Crow.”

“The hell you don’t..! So either tell me now, or at least duel me for it! You can give me that at the very _least_ , can’t you?” he hissed.

There was silence…

And then. “Very well,” he answered coolly. “But if I win… I get the Blackbird.” The bike..?

There were a million voices in his head telling him that this was a bad bet to make, but in the end they were drowned out by the memory of an ear-splitting and avian screech in his ears.

“I’ll take that bet,” he answered, helmet gripped tight under his arm.

And so the duel began.


	21. Chapter 21

They never finished the duel.

Accusations and snarls rose to a fever pitch as they fought, one demanding answers and the other refusing to give them, meeting the words instead with accusations of his own. How it was _Crow_ who failed Pearson’s expectations, _Crow_ who had failed to follow in his will!

And as they drove, the boy found himself thinking…

_What if he was right..?_

The sign had almost fallen on him.

The spirit had followed _him_ , rather than Bolger…

Was he right? Was it something he was doing…?

…There…

…There were _cheers_ from the side…

He looked up to the windows of the building above them and he saw his friends…

…He saw the kids…

They’d come. All of them had come, _how had they even known he was here_..!?! They were here though, they were watching…

It was NOT his fault, he snarled to himself internally, looking back to his opponent. Not this..! “BOLGER!” he demanded, his opponent looking back. “TELL ME! WHO WAS IT WHO KILLED PEARSON!?”

He should never have asked.

“You _really_ want to know?” he asked as he looked back to the boy, the blood draining from Crow’s face as a chill rushed down his spine.

_I’ll show you_.

It was nothing but light. Nothing but light and cards and… And…

Bolger had summoned ‘Blood Mephisto’.

Bolger was the owner of the card.

_Bolger_ had killed-..!

The first strike came from the card’s effect and sent his D-Wheel careening out of control as they came upon the turn. The second strike, from the attack on his monster, sent him near the edge…

And the arrow, for all its minimal damage in comparison…

Bolger’s D-Wheel skid to a stop and it was not only their audience looking on in horror as the bike went over.

And flames rushed over from above, and as Aiapaec flew past he watched the glass of the track _melt_ … And the screeches from the back of his mind echoed through reality.

’ _Now would be a good time to fIND A WAY TO **STOP FALLING YOU FOOL**!_ ’ he heard dimly, before awareness snapped back.

Yes.

It would.

Without thinking, he grabbed at the ghost. The bike alone wouldn’t get him through this, from this fall. The ground beyond the edge of the track and company ground’s were far below, far, far below. And hyoui gattai wouldn’t get him anywhere.

So then… If he could try just ONE THING…

“GO-!” he roared, forcing the spirit into the machine itself. “GO!!” Please work… Give him wings…

Please work, please, please…

Grip on the D-Wheel tightened…

And an energy blasted around the bike like armor. Wings shot out from the sides, and the thrusters at the back of the d-wheel blazed with a spiritual fire!

And the Blackbird _soared_ upward, Crow’s eyes wide. It worked… It….

’ _ **kRREEEEEESCCHHHH!!!**_ ’

…He’d been followed.

The fires, their form largely unseen but their damage more than visible to Bolger, were closing in on him. All he could see was heat, ruined glass, and…

Bolger looked up and thought for a moment that he saw the very dragon he’d suspected was locked within the Blackbird’s depths, only to realize it was the bike itself, moving in a manner impossible for reality to allow.

And with wings only Ruka or Aki would have been able to see if they were present, the Blackbird flew downward, screeching to a halt between the fiery spirit and Bolger both. “Hah…. hAhh…. Hah…”

“How…”

He didn’t answer. He was tired… This 'over soul’ was sapping his strength, that energy Aiapaec had told him about… And Aiapaec himself was still in the bike…

Despite this, he stepped forward, looking up at the spirit. He could not deny it, not any more. Between the card that had sent him over the edge, and all that had gone on in the last few days…

He looked up with tearfilled eyes, and he did the only thing he could. “PEARSON!” he roared, Bolger going white behind him. “IT’S OKAY..!” …Well. Not really it wasn’t. There was so much wrong with this…

The fire did not stop.

And so he continued. “PLEASE! I KNOW WHAT HE’S DONE!” he called up, shaking his head. “BUT I KNOW YOU… AND I KNOW HIM!” he protested, eyes wide. Even if he’d lied… Even if he’d hid, even if it was him who had done it..!

The card did not set the flame.

This was _never_ supposed to have happened.

The fire struck forward, but instead of burning it cut the air in front of him and brought an intense wave of heat upon him, tearing into the ground near his feet. The beaked head reared upward, and with a snarl seemed to prepare for a more severe blow.

He did not move. “PLEASE…” he begged. “PEARSON..! IF YOU’RE GOING TO HURT ANYONE, HURT ME! DON’T DO THIS TO HIM..! AND DON’T MAKE THEM WATCH!” he cried, shrill screams from the tower at the side echoing in his mind.

’ ** _krREESSSSSSCH…!!…_** ’

It was as though glass had shattered in the air. The beaked head that had lunged toward him stopped half-way. It pulled back, closed, staring down at him…

The flames began to blow away, and there he was, his own eyes just as watered and red. “ _I…_ ” As though everything had been a dream, all that he had done had been a dream… And as Crow fell to his knees in relief, Bolger staring at what _had_ to be empty space, but he could _swear_ he could hear…-! “ _…Crow,_ ” Pearson finally spoke, flames still seeming to blow from his form. “ _…Bolger…_ ”

“…Impossible…” Bolger stepped forward from his bike, squinting, staring… He couldn’t see as clearly- he couldn’t see but… “Impossible…”

Pearson looked over them…

And _smiled_. “ _I… I forgive you, Bolger…_ ” he finally said, closing his eyes for a moment as his mind cleared. “ _…And Crow..?_ ”

He couldn’t really speak, he realized. Now that he was here, the burns were back, he was exhausted, he…

Crow looked up, and Pearson had stooped down put a hand on his shoulder. “ _Good job._ ”

The wind blew…

And as Pearson faded from sight, he collapsed.


	22. Chapter 22

“Gh… DAMMIT..!”

He shouldn’t have brought his fist down like that, he realized belatedly. Thanks to the burns over his body he was again in the same condition as before his duel with Bolger. Sore, unable to move, and more importantly…

He’d been out long enough that they had to make a decision after all. They couldn’t wait forever. Even so.

Looking at the team roster… ‘Team 5Ds’. Ruka had innocently told him it was because of the five signers- five dragons- it made sense, didn’t it..?

It…

Out of them, he and Bruno were the only non-signers though, weren’t they..?

He found himself stewing for a while, stubborn as he was. The more he thought the more he realized though…

…If he hadn’t been burned up, then Pearson’s ghost wouldn’t have moved on, neh? That was the main reason he was lying back in this bed. Yea, it hurt that they’d pick that name- and as it was, it hadn’t looked like he’d be making the duelist line-up after the first burn incident let alone now!

All the same… …

And whose fault was that? The question came bitterly to mind as he stared at the ceiling, half forcing himself to not bring his thoughts to how much time was left before the first prelim match of 'Team 5Ds’. Whose fault was that? He’d left without warning, vanished without a trace to deal with what was happening at Manzouku-san and…

…How could he say that it’d be better if he hadn’t..!? People were dying..! And the only thing that could have stopped it…

He found himself sitting up in grim acceptance, staring at his bandaged arms. In the end…

“…How am I supposed to choose..?” How…

How..!?

The door opened, and Crow’s head snapped up, the shaman looking to the side. Someone was visiting..? Now? He’d have figured Jack and Yuusei were both busy with engine work, and Rua and Ruka both hadn’t come by since the first time…

Hard to ask about talking down a spirit when most of you couldn’t even see or hear it. Bolger had turned himself in though, and with his last bit of influence the engines had been made so…

He stiffened, eyes catching red-violet hair. “A-Aki..?!”

Aki merely nodded, briefly scanning the room. Looking for something, some _one_ …

“Aiapaec is in the tablet,” he said after a moment, looking away. It wasn’t exactly a secret that they didn’t get along- in the sense of avoiding the other like the plague. At least now it was more 'avoid aiapaec’ rather than 'avoid crow’.

There was a nod, and after a brief moment Aki sat down. Silence… Very awkward silence, he had to say. And then…

“It should be you out there, riding with them.”

Wh… “What..?”

She nodded. “You’re the better of us- you’re the one who knows them both more, who’s dueled with them more… I didn’t even drive until a few weeks ago,” the girl continued, looking away. “I can’t even begin to measure up.” This…

“Oi… Coming from the one who faced Yuusei in the finals..?” She looked up, as though she’d not realized he knew about that, and he smirked. “You gave him a good duel..! And if you got a licence, then that hasn’t changed right?” Aki stared. …And with a short laugh, he found himself continuing. “…Yuusei and Jack… They put their hopes in you as a team-mate, yea? I let them down… You won’t.”

“Ahh..! But that’s not-”

“…I keep thinking back to what would have happened if I’d just stuck to practicing with the others,” he admitted, eyes turned to the ceiling. “…And everytime I do, I realize… …If I had the chance to do it over, I wouldn’t have changed anything.” As Aki stared, the shaman turned and found himself with a pained smile. “I… Half the things that happened lately- with ghosts, with spirits… I think back on what probably would have happened if I’d ignored it… ” He swallowed. “…I’d have made things worse. At the same time… To help those people, I had to ignore my friends, my team..!” he lamented, shaking his head. “And for that…”

“…There’s more to it than 'Aiapaec’, neh?”

Silence. And a nod. But in the silence that followed, he looked back with a smile. “Yea… …But you know… That doesn’t change what I said..!”

“Mn?”

“You’re going to be fine, Aki- trust me..!”

For a moment, Aki merely stared. …However, with a few moments of silence, the woman nodded. And as she stood to leave, she found herself smiling as well. “…Right. …Thank-you Crow. …And…” She looked back- and briefly, the presence of the very spirit she’d been avoiding set her off guard, causing her to stiffen. With a moment of pause however, she reigned herself in, and continued. “…I’m sorry,” she told him.

It didn’t take much to guess what she was sorry about.

But for her part, she was glad that Crow hadn’t pressed the subject as she left.


	23. Chapter 23

Maybe it was accepting that acting as one of the three duelists for Team 5Ds was a bust, or even the conversation he’d had with Aki while still in the hospital- but now that he was out, he was feeling a hell of a lot better.

In fact…

_-click-_ “Hoh! Much better, Aki!”

As he looked over the timer Aki’s d-wheel came to a stop, the woman turning to face him. “Ah? Really?”

A nod. “Yea! You’re getting better with your turns too..!”

“Hahhhhh..!” She sighed. “I just hope that’s enough…”

From the side, Aiapaec snorted- the ghost had been making more and more appearances in front of Aki as of late; though it was still clear there was no trust between the two, she was at least certain she wasn’t in any danger from the spirit. ’ _Hm! He’s told you it’s fine hasn’t he..??_ ’

A frown. “Saying and doing are two different things.”

’ _Wonderful! Stop distracting my shaman..!_ ’

“Ah… ’ _Your shaman_ ’..!?” Oii oi…

“Hahhh…” If not for the fact that this was probably the fifth argument of similar form, he’d have commented on that himself… As it was. “Oii! Aiapaec..! I got ‘Oversoul’ didn’t I..?”

Ohhhhh that was a horrible assumption. ’ _Ch! You got the start- but your technique is still horrible! I’m personally surprised you managed to last even ten seconds with you leaking that furyoku everywhere..!’_

“…Furyoku..?” Aki asked, her curiosity pulled.

Aiapaec grinned. ’ _Ohh? Interested now, Dragon-child?_ ’ He looked to Crow, continuing. ’ _You collapsed for a reason. You wasted your furyoku reserves on the Oversoul, letting the energy flow out rather than holding it in one spot; not to mention, that ROCKET of yours…_ ’

“Gh- How else was I supposed to get there!?”

’ _DID YOU MAKE WINGS OR NOT?’_

…Okay he’d give him that. Still, grumbling under his breath, he wasn’t about to admit that.

Perhaps then, it wasn’t so bad that Aki was there. “If this 'oversoul’…” she started, briefly shaking herself when the thought of asking what an 'oversoul’ even _was_ came to mind, “…If it’s tied to the Blackbird, wouldn’t it make sense to train in it while dueling..?”

Aiapaec looked as though he’d been soaked in water. ’ _Gh- Mix it with those **games**..!? The oversoul is a spirit-formed battle technique, not a toy..!_ ’

It was the spirit’s turn to say something wrong, apparently, as Crow reeled on the spirit immediately. “You see dueling… As nothing but a _game_..!?”

’ _Hn. Cards on wheels, bright lights… What else is it.’_

“It’s more than that..! Just because it’s not the same doesn’t mean it’s a battle as well..! Dueling… It’s not just something you throw together..! It…”

…How did he explain it..?

How did he explain it to this 'god’ that had lived for so long, which had apparently missed all the many years of history the game had behind it..??

At the side, Aki frowned. “There is no way to explain it,” she told the spirit. “Dueling… Simply is. It connects people, souls…” The frown gained a rather dry undertone, and she continued. “It’s hardly something an old man like you would understand.”

’ _OLD MAN..!?_ ’

“If this is the only reason why you’re so opposed to it, why not let him give it a try, mn?” she asked with a smirk. “Unless you think you can’t do it…” Hahahha, as if that would work on-

’ _What’s that supposed to mean..!?_ ’

W-Wait, it was-

“Exactly what I said- you just don’t think your combined power can do it.”

’ _Ohhhhhh dragon-child… You will regret those words…! CROW!_ ’ he demanded, Crow in question staring quite owlishly. ’ _We’re going to practice..!_ ’

It was, perhaps, not quite the way he’d expected to find himself doing this…

But in the end, it certainly meant that he had something to do despite not participating in the tournament.


	24. Chapter 24

Team Unicorn.

…WELL. That was one _hell_ of a duel.

Part of the reason he was sitting with the pit crew was obvious really- it wasn’t as though he couldn’t help, and the fact was, he was part of the team too… Just not on the field. It was better than the audience in his opinion, and even though he had no clue what half the stuff Bruno was looking over meant (programming… uh….), it was actually pretty fun.

Secondary reason?

Gave Aiapaec a look at what a _real_ duel was. Not to say duels with Aki, or the others weren’t real duels but…

He glanced upward as the duel came to an end, eyebrows raised. The ending of the duel… Hadn’t been expected really. Jean could have won. He just needed to end his turn. He would have _won_.

Instead…

…Wait was Aiapaec grinning. ’ _HN! A warriors defeat..!!’_

WHAT WHAT WHAT-

’ _Perhaps there’s more to this than I gave credit, boy..!_ ’ Again with the ‘boy’..!

He just about smacked himself in the face with that really- but in the end, what with the spirit’s reaction…

Well, if Aiapaec could enjoy it now, then maybe he wasn’t such a stick in the mud after all.

…

Still a pain in the ass though- the celebration after the duel was proof of that. It was one thing when he was just taking advantage of _him_ seeing and hearing the guy, but the others as well..!?!

He was surprised Aki didn’t blow a hole through the wall.

…Not to mention, Ruka looked like she wanted to leave, and _fast_ …

Heck, it had him grateful when another duelist- Sherry, according to Yuusei- showed up. Whatever they were talking about however, he found himself only barely following along- he’d gotten snippets earlier on from the others of course. …But as it seemed, what with him dipping in and out all the time, that wasn’t enough. On a separate note-

“Hah… Hahh…”

What the… “O-Oii… Bruno…?”

…As he looked at Bruno, he couldn’t help but wonder if maybe Aiapaec was onto something when he said there was something 'off’. He was pale, almost white as a sheet, and shaking. One hand was on his head, the other was gripping the table like it was a matter of life or death- and as he moved to tap him, there was no response.

“B-Bruno..!”

“Ah-” The man turned, seeming to almost stare past him. “Crow…”

“Oiii, Bruno, you feeling alright..?” By this point, the others were looking as well. Mostly with worry- a few with mere confusion…

Bruno shook his head. “I just…” Swallow. “I just need some air…”

“Ah… Right…”

…With luck, it was just that. Maybe some nerves, too much excitement… Something a bit of fresh air would help.

…For some reason though, he couldn’t help thinking that there could have been something else going on though. But…

…He seemed fine by the morning. Heck, he was at the computer when he woke up, waving as he came down. He didn’t look at all like the shade-of-himself he had been at the party…

So maybe it was just _his_ nerves that were setting him off then? Who knew.

Crow tried to toss it from mind as he drove, weaving through traffic as he went traversed one of the many duel circuits there. With the tournament on, any of the empty ones were guaranteed to be empty- handy for what he was practicing at really.

With practice- lots of it- he’d managed to 'refine’ the oversoul so to speak. It still looked like his bike was on fire… Annnnd the wings were somewhat flaming themselves, even when they were folded up against the bike. But he wasn’t losing all energy in a matter of minutes, and could hold the technique for about twenty if he did things properly.

What he was working on now… That was something different. “Right,” he told himself, reving up the engine as he drove. “Let’s go..!” He’d used the Blackbird’s 'claws’ to latch onto things before- it was a handy save, one that kept him from falling to his death more than once even.

So if he could move the wings at will in the Oversoul- including the extensions…

Could he do something similar with the claws?

There was only one way to find out, wasn’t there..? Giving the engine a boost, furyoku wings spread upward, and at the coming turn he launched himself off the edge. Worst case? Fly back to the track. His goal..?

“GO!” With the click of a button the line was released- initially, it shot forward, as it was meant to. However…

'Turn left,’ he thought in his mind, jaw tight. 'Turn left, turn left’..!

It jerked. “HAha!”

…Annnnd bounced off the edge of the rail.

“SHIT!”

Wings on the bike flapped as he swerved in mid air and back onto the track, pulling the bike to a stop as the line was retracted. Hihhh…

“Phaaaaaaah…” Well, it _was_ the first shot… “Right… Again..!”

He’d have this technique set by the end of the week..!


	25. Chapter 25

The air at the track seemed…

Strange, somehow.

They had been a bit late to see Team Unicorn’s second match, they’d admit that. Just because there were duels they wanted to watch, didn’t mean they could skip out on the training schedules. It was weird- he wasn’t dueling on the team, but with the way his oversoul worked he was on the bike there anyways more often than not now..!

…He didn’t mind that, truth be told.

Coming in to watch Team Unicorn’s second match however…

They were met with wreckage, sirens… Breo was panicking when they finally saw him, holding his head as he sat outside the surgery room. It was a complete and utter catastrophe, the match. One bike locked up and crashed half way into the pit, skidding with such force it reached the line. And when Jean went up…

There was nothing left of the machines- it was a challenge just to get any data off of them. And all about the air at the arena was a thick, heavy feeling that _something_ was there.

It wasn’t until they went to investigate the data for Breo’s sake however, that he noticed it.

They said there was nothing there. The first clip of video from the match played, and the others stared in confusion at what had forced the bike to the ground. They said there was _nothing there_ …

It was a hook. An enormous hook, stretching out of the shadow, latching onto the tires… He could see it clear as day, but for the others..!

As they turned over what feeds they had he paled. Aki. Aki wasn’t here, Aki was training, Aki could be…

By the time the others heard the engine there was no stopping him. “Ah-! Crow!” Yuusei called, the group turning from where they’d crowded around the desk. The bike had already taken off, and the most they could do was go and shout after him. “CROW!”

Dimly, one could hear Carly in the background.. “Aaah! I just remembered I have film from that match..!”

“GH- You remembered this now..!?”

While those at the garage poured over new information in what would unknowingly be futility until Carly herself mentioned spotting something, Crow tore down the streets. The signal from Aki’s bike was coming on screen, and the map of the circuit following… Not far… Not far…

As he drove however, Aiapaec stiffened beside him. ’ _Something’s coming…_ ’ he growled, Crow looking down to the side.

If he traveled the normal way he’d have to enter the circuit a few hundred meters ahead, and drive a number more to reach Aki. If he did something else…

’ _Ah- OI-_ ’ Protests were cut short, and in an instant invisible flames surrounded the bike.

“We’re taking a detour..!” he announced, the tires squealing as he turned the D-Wheel. The edge of the bridge came upon him- but with wings of furyoku he pushed off the ground and dove, darting toward the track where Aki was. There was something in the air. Something dark, something heavy, he could _feel_ it..!

A hook rose from the shadows…

From the bike, the button for the claws was clicked…

A shadow appeared over Aki, and as she looked up…

“Ah… C… Crow..?” Why was he fly-

Claws snatched at the hook and yanked it to the side, and in the aftermath Aki was forced to swerve to the side. A crack met the air as she was knocked from the bike, but given how swiftly she stood it could have been far worse.

And from the shadow that the claws latched onto came a hook… And from the hook, an arm, a body…

There was only one other track with the right line of sight for this one here… Right..?

‘Up’, he thought, and the cable jerked, tossing the shadow back. And as three d-wheels bolted, the shadow faded from view. Wind rushed past him. For a moment, he saw…

“Nh- CROW!”

Aki’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts and looking down he almost choked, the track coming up a lot quicker than he’d expected. The wings of the d-wheel spread wide, and with a somewhat awkard clatter he landed. The oversoul dissolved…

And as Aiapaec re-appeared beside him Crow 'collapsed’ more or less into his seat. It was one thing to simply drive in Oversoul, but moving the claws… “Hahhhh… Gh… A-Aki… Are you…”

…Aki’s face- a rather set scowl, albeit one that said she understood this was the better of possible options- told him the answer to his unfinished question. The way she was gingerly holding her drawing arm told him as well.

“Fractured shoulder,” the doctor told them later, Crow looking rather guilty for the most part. “You’ll need a month to recover, minimum.”

“A- A month..?” Aki repeated, receiving a somewhat dark look from the doctor in response. Biting the inside of her cheek she nodded- There were no arguments. There was no point. “…Understood…”

The cast was set… Sling created…

Crow clenched his fists, and as they waited for the others to arrive at the hospital he growled under his breath. “Damn it…!” Damn it..!! “This shouldn’t have happened..! If it had just happened after the last prelim..!”

“If it happened after the last prelim, I’d be wondering what 'Team Catastrophe’ was doing,” Aki retorted rather dryly. Hahaha, what a fitting name for them too…

He fell quiet, nodding. True… They’d obviously been trying to knock Team 5Ds out, but… “Dammit… With only two people…” …Not to mention no way to prove foul-play, for obvious ghost-related reasons…

There was a snort from beside him, and he turned.

“What..?”

“Pff… Nothing..! It’s just ironic- before you were complaining that you’d wanted nothing more to be on the team… And now that you have the chance you’re forgetting all about it..!”

“AH-” The duelist blinked, staring. That… …That was right, he…

“You haven’t missed any of the recent training sessions… More importantly, the last preliminary is against Team Catastrophe, neh..?” As he nodded, Aki continued. “…If that hook is a spirit, then you have the best chance out of anyone against it. If you’re the only one who can see it attacking…”

…Then he’d be the only one who stood a chance at dodging… Wouldn’t he..?

“…If I go in with the Oversoul…”

’ _And when you’re out of energy..?_ ’

The two looked up as Aiapaec materialized before them, Crow crossing his arms. “Tch. It’s our best bet, isn’t it..!?”

Aki nodded. “That’s right. And besides, if there’s anything he could use his training for, it’s this..!”

’ _Oh yes. Use all your spiritual energy to out-pace a demon. That’s a **wonderful** idea..!_ ’ the god bit back sarcastically.

“Ah…”

What. “…Demon..?”

’ _Of a particular sort, at least. More accurately you could call it a shikigami- a demon created to fulfill some desired action, ahead of time. The duelists themselves? I doubt they could even see what they were doing; they probably just know the end result._ ’ He grinned quite dangerously, eyes narrowed as his thoughts wandered. ’ _Quite the dangerous use of shikigami, I must say… Hnhnhnhnhn…_ ’

Hahahaha…

Great. That was just great. “And to get rid of it..?”

The grin was dropped. ’ _Ordinarily I’d say fight the source, but you’re obviously not looking for it, **are you**._ ’ The look was all he needed. With a snort, he turned away. ’ _Pah! Do what you want then! Just don’t get yourself killed!_ ’

It was easy for him to smirk at that. He could hold the oversoul for 20 minutes. He just needed to duel, and avoid the hook while he did so. It was easy for him to feel confident now.

It would be an entirely separate matter on the field.


	26. Chapter 26

It wasn’t like dueling in practice while in oversoul.

Oh, it was _far_ from like dueling in practice, in fact.

The first hook came and he swerved away. Easy. The second and he forced furyoku through the engines just a _little_ , just enough to scoot ahead of it…

His body seemed to tighten and protest, but as he made his play he forced himself to ignore it. At the sides the twins held the notice sign- ’ **PIT** ’ it read, but instead he looked forward. The crowd of course, could not see why he seemed so fatigued…

Aki and Ruka however, and even Carly not that he realized it at the moment, were different stories altogether on that.

He could not turn in however, he told himself. Not until this ‘demon’ was dealt with. Not until the path was cleared..!

“N… Gh…” Sweat dripped down the side of his face, and he took his next turn. The hook came back with its effect, and with a slight flap of wide invisible wings the wheel bounced up and out of reach. “Gh… Hahh… Hah…” It hadn’t been more than ten minutes… It couldn’t have been more than ten minutes, it… “NGh..”

Again the 'card’s effect activated, and again the hook rose upward. And with the flap of two great wings he seemed to _leap_ forward, bike wobbling somewhat as he again landed out of reach of the hook. Anyone with eyes should have seen it. Anyone, anyone… In the audience Carly was trying to convince Mikage what she saw, and in the pit Aki and Ruka both explained…

Almost done, he told himself. Almost… As predicted, the hook was in defense mode. As predicted…

His plan came into fruition. He summoned the Armored Wing. He played one last spell… 

The hook was destroyed but in one last futile attempt to launch an attack as he passed the failing D-Wheel a trap was activated. One last rise of the demon as he looked back, hooks reaching toward him…

His trap activated but it wouldn’t be enough. And if he wanted it to count…

“Gh…” This was going to hurt. “HHHAAAAAAAAAHHH…!!!” This was going to hurt _a LOT_. The engine roared. Wings pushed off the ground. “H-GGH-!!”

And as his field and his opponent’s both were cleared the bike bounced back upon the ground, racing to the pit on fumes and fumes alone. It swerved and screeched against the ground and threatened to topple, oversoul retracting and hands slipping from the grips… He made it to the line…

“Good one, Crow..!”

Felt someone touch his arm a moment…

“Crow? Crow, can you hear us..!?”

Saw Jack take off…

…And let himself fall back against the seat to the calm, black oblivion that was unconsciousness and exhaustion…


	27. Chapter 27

He wasn’t entirely sure of what happened while he was asleep, but when he woke up he’d apparently missed a lot. According to Aki? His heart had _stopped_ for a few beats.

Otherwise..?

The city went to hell, the tournament was now postponed to recover (Well, at least Aki had time to get over her injury then), Yuusei synchro summoned with synchro monsters, and…

Iliaster was planning to destroy all of Neo Domino, and most likely Satellite as well. HahaHAAA… Ahhh…

He groaned, collapsing back on the couch he’d found in what seemed to have been the Old Momentum building’s ‘staff lounge’. Not long after that went on, they’d gotten a message from Bommer- the guy he’d dueled with back during the attack from the Dark Signers. Something was worrying him, something about a dream…

He didn’t get it really, but even so- plans were made, tickets booked… For Jack and Yuusei at least. He, ah… Somehow didn’t think he’d be doing much there.

Perhaps if he’d inquired further he’d realize how wrong he was. Regardless.

’ _Well well..!_ ’ Aiapaec chuckled, Crow frowning from where he was working on his next particular 'project’ within the Old Momentum building. ’ _House to yourself eh..?’_

“Bruno is still at the Garage,” he countered, “And Aki’s dropping in regularly. ”

A shrug. ’ _Close enough. At any rate, your 'battle’ seems to have highlighted a key weakness in your technique,_ ’ he continued with a smirk, receiving a minor glare from his partner in response.

“Oii, and since when did you know anything about D-Wheels…”

’ _Oh believe me- it has nothing to do with that… It’s your reserves.’_ Wha…

“…My reserves..?”

’ _Your energy, your 'furyoku’..! You don’t have enough of it_.’ Hahahhaha….

“Ah? And how am I supposed to fix that?”

’ _Quite simple. You die_.’

“HELL NO!”

Chuckling from the ghost, along with a snort. ’ _Oh please, I’ve gone through this much trouble to keep you alive already, you think I’d really let it go to waste? You just need to come as close to it as possible, that’s all._ ’

“The answer is the same!” he retorted. “What do you think I am, an idiot..?”

It almost looked as though Aiapaec wasn’t going to answer that. As it were. ’ _Well! Since you’re so **insistent** , you’re going to do the next best thing then,_’ he explained with a large toothy grin. ’ _Tell me… Did you realize that your oversoul has been fueling your D-Wheel? Or did you miss the fact that the energies of Momentum are almost identical to that of the spirits..?_ ’

“Ah-” Wh… What??

’ _Allow me to explain. Furyoku is a flexible energy, and it’s what becomes a spirit’s 'reiyoku’ in the afterlife. With an oversoul, you must keep constant focus, and as long as you realize that, your only limit to an oversoul’s shape is your imagination… And, of course, your reserves. Not enough energy, and  the energy can’t comply. More importantly_ ,’ he warned as he chuckled, ’ _You burn out_.’

“Burn-” Crow stiffened, recalling what Aki had told him after he’d woken up. How his heart had stopped, how he’d simply stopped moving after he crossed the line…

’ _Ohhh? Come to the conclusion just now? As your reserves are now you’ll never last long. However… If you burn them close enough to the edge that you still live…_ ’ …Then…

He turned, looking up to the ghost with a raised eyebrow. “…The reserves increase..?”

’ _In minuscule amounts. There are better ways- you’d refuse them all,_ ’ he added with an almost bitterly humored smirk. ’ _As it is…_ ’

_How would you like to drive on water?_


	28. Chapter 28

It had likely passed Aiapaec’s mind entirely, the idea of explaining just what a shaman _was_. If one were to ask Crow, he’d take what he knew and go with that- humans who could see and interact with the dead, acting as a connection, a help that the dead themselves could not give. They served as a balance- not that the description would be described quite so eloquently.

However what Aiapaec failed to explain was that there were far more to Shaman than merely thus. From those who specialized in necromancy, animating corpses as opposed to spirits, to those of the kyonshi, who trapped the dead in their bodies and controlled them with charms.

There were the basic shamans- those who partnered and fought with old spirits, either human or animal, or even nature. There were shamans who acted more as travelling doctors in a sense, clearing the area of what bad spirits or demons had made their home. There were those who specialized in the elements. Shikigami. Oni. Gods, even.

There were those who did not fight at all- those whose sight the spirits had robbed…

Those whose own bodies acted as gateways to the realms of the dead…

…Even without realizing it.

If Bommer had expected to awake following his defeat as a Dark Signer, he would not have expected it in this manner. His siblings found him passed out, in the middle of the plains- and when he opened his eyes…

…Dark. It was dark…

And yet, they told him with panic in their voices, it was high noon. There were no clouds in the sky. The light was almost blinding even. And if he turned his head upward… …He could feel the heat of the sun over his face.

…He could not see in reality, but the body remembered. The path of the whale burned in the back of his mind, along with locations, objects…

They left the village with what they could. And he built, with a small bit of aid from his siblings and strangely little guidance, a home. And in addition to his home…

_As though someone’s hands were guiding his own he carved the stone, day and night never moving unless asked. As though he had been destined, as though he’d been chosen he placed the stones, creating above what was unknowingly weakened ground a great shrine, open to the stars…_

He could not see in reality. He could not see that where he stood and lived now were the areas that the great symbols of the defeated Earthbound had once been seen.

But he could see, in his mind. A storm would strike the ground in his thoughts, and a week later he and his siblings boarded themselves in their home. The cries of animals dying met his ears while he slept, and sooner or later news from a distant village would reach them.

He saw Jack Atlus stricken by the flaming form of the Red Daemon’s Dragon, until nothing was left but ash and bone…

“NHH-!” His eyes flung open, and they were met with darkness. An odd comfort, but a comfort nonetheless.

“Mn… Bommer..?”

…He’d woken his siblings up. “Nothing,” he assured them. “Go back to sleep.”

…His siblings didn’t believe him. They didn’t argue, however.

…So he stood, moving to the desk at the side, counting steps in his mind. Opening the laptop he left there, tapping familiar keys…

A voice roared in the back of his mind, and his hands moved without him even realizing that they were beyond his control. The message was sent, and days later the recipient would arrive…

And reveling in his success, the spirit of the shrine laughed.


	29. Chapter 29

He’d be lying to himself, if he said he couldn’t see.

See the glazed expression Max had gained during their duel. See the sort of… Haze on the air that seemed to follow Bommer around, the man moving around with such ease that until he had asked when they were to duel he had forgotten he was blind.

See the eerie glow of the shrine that had been built to ‘pacify’ the remaining of the Earthbound, those spirits of what had yet to rise up through human hosts against the Signers.

All _twenty_ of them.

He told himself he was imagining it. Or at the very least, that the glow merely meant it was 'working’. He wasn’t Crow. He wasn’t Aki, or Ruka. He didn’t believe in spirits or ghosts in that sort of sense, regardless of all that had happened. And when he began to question those sturdy beliefs, when he watched the glaze fade from Max’s eyes… And felt something reach for _him_ …

He ran. He drove. He moved as far from that place as possible, until he came to some other small hamlet in the area. There was one man there- and, foolishly thinking of nothing but answers rather than a likely language barrier, moved to call out to the elderly man.

A small campfire stood before the elder.

As the elder stepped toward it however… As he stood upon it… It rose into a great beast, and the man, screaming in the pain of what he had unwillingly done, became as ash.

The fires demanded he answer a question, ’ _what is it you desire mortal, what is it you desire? you who bear a soul like ours, you whose spirit reeks of flame and hears our voice?_ ’

As though his lips were not his own, as though all his time with his friends, with Carly, as though all that had happened never did…

The thought of perhaps, having more than just a hazed sight… Or perhaps not having a sight at all came to mind…

And from his mouth came one word-

’ _Power’_.

And without warning his mind was no longer his own. His body moved as commanded by the dead, and his thoughts came to a halt. And all the while the fires laughed… At the silly fool who had taken the deal of the Crimson Devil.


	30. Chapter 30

During the course of the week that the others were in Peru (or otherwise), Crow rather quickly found that Aiapaec’s training method of driving over the water was not something he’d put enough thought into.

Push the engine full of furyoku and he would wind up forced to launch the claws to one of the bridge’s many supports, lest he sink to the depths. Drive too slowly and he’d just exhaust himself before reaching the shore, and lose focus, burning the furyoku a different way.

It was taxing. Grating. And overall it succeeded in what Aiapaec had specified as requirements for the training- he may not have burned out entirely.

But he certainly exhausted himself. Two days in, and he had yet to cross the waters between Satellite and Neo Domino. Three days, four days, no different. Five… Six…

He lay on his back breathing raggedly, and taking the bike swallowed. He was tired, yes. Exhausted, even. Even with hours of rest, it felt as though he would keel over any moment.

And yet for all his exhaustion he thought to himself… ‘I can make it.’ He thought… 'I _will_ make it..!’ To cross the seas… To do it of his own power…

A deep breath, and he was off. A line of furyoku streaked beneath his tires and stuck to the surface of the water, the D-wheel bolting forward in a single dash. It was harder to hold Oversoul over the seas. He needed to keep the line beneath him thick enough to drive, yet thin enough that he didn’t simply burn out in an instant.

¼ distance passed with ease. ½ came into view, and with the slight rev of an engine he muscled forward. This was the point of no return… This was it…

¾ distance made.

This was it..! But then…

Why was he sinking? Stars came into his vision and water splashed up against him and he panicked, hands twisting the D-Wheel’s controls as the bike roared. But instead of furyoku it was water he spun, the track beneath him dissolving entirely, and without warning he fell back…

Back… Bubbles soaring upward as he sank back, half frozen in shock…

No.

NO….

NO! Another push, not from the engine but from the soul itself- wings became serpents, reaching forward for grip, reaching for something anything and pulling-

The bike and its carrier were launched from the seas and onto wet sand, falling to the side. Choking, he turned, water spilling from his throat and stomach as he spat out what he’d swallowed from he seas. “KH-… KHAHK… KGhhah…”

The oversoul faded. _'Well well…’_

“Hahh… Hah… Hahh…” He collapsed, unable to do more than breathe as the spirit above him smirked, unable to even muster the strength to aim a glare toward him.

And Aiapaec chuckled. ’ _Congratulations… You did better than I’d expected._ ’

Perhaps it was the drowned part of his mind acting, but he decided to take that as a compliment rather than an expectancy that he would have died for his idiocy. As it was, it meant that he only barely registered it when Jack came back to the Garage with Yuusei to find him on the couch, sopping wet, with a suddenly clear-as-day ghost floating above him.

Yuusei, quite wisely, stayed out of the almost drunken argument that resulted and focused on looking over anything of note that might have happened whilst he was gone.


	31. Chapter 31

Dueling, as a whole, was never going to be something that Aiapaec really understood. At least, he realized soon after his duel against Jaeger, not when the matter of Duelist’s pride and overall honor came into play rather than the fast-paced battle on wheels that the Riding Duel as.

In the end he supposed, maybe it was for the better. As it seemed, when Aiapaec didn’t understand something he did one of two things- either insult it, which to their rather incredible shock got a rise out of Jack the one time he heard the spirit complain about it (which was quickly followed by the excuse that he ‘thought he heard something’ before he left the room), or…

Closed his mouth, said nothing, or at the very least change the subject.

He rather preferred that, he decided.

For all that he didn’t know about dueling though, it became clear that this didn’t mean aspects of what he DID know could arise in it. An exhibition duel was nothing to sneeze at really, despite what some in the audience would say. True, it was meant more or less to show off…

But when the opponent was the (former) top team in the WRGP tournament in terms of world-wide following and expectancy…

None of Team Ragnarok were meant to be taken lightly, he knew that.

He sure as hell didn’t expect the air to start quaking and rumbling with the summon of team-member Dragan’s 'Thor’ though. He did NOT expect to see something that looked strangely similar to an oversoul’s 'glow’ from the duelist’s eye, and especially not around Thor, and-

’ _What in all hell is HE doing here..!?_ ’

He could ask the same thing- as it was, he made sure to be anywhere but the stadium when the remaining team members of Ragnarok looked his way.

…A move that was made rather easy when Thor’s clashing against Red Daemon’s caused enough of a power surge that the duel was cancelled, to say the least.


	32. Chapter 32

Well. Aiapaec’s ‘sport side’ certainly had an _odd_ way of showing itself.

From about two moves in he was already bored. ’ _WHERE’S THE ATTACKING..!?_ ’ he roared, Crow doing his best to ignore it despite the looks from Ruka and Aki.

Four moves in it got worse. ’ _THIS IS RIDICULOUS! I HAVE SAT THROUGH DAY LONG CEREMONIES WHICH WERE MORE EVENTFUL!_ ’ Oh he’d bet.

Six. ’ _GIVE ME BLOOD AND SLIT THROATS ALREADY!_ ’ Hahahaha, really? REALLY?

Ten… _'If I do not see **action** …_’ Cleverly enough Aiapaec didn’t finish that sentence, likely because he really couldn’t do anything if there wasn’t any action.

…And there wasn’t. ’ _COME ON!!!_ ’ the spirit roared, Crow finally slamming his head against the table. ’ _DO SOMETHING..!!_ ’

“Aaaaaaugh… Shut up already..!!”

“…Eh..?”

“Is… Is he talking about us..?”

Those on the side of Team 5Ds looked up and across the track at where Team Taiyou’s two duelists sat, each side staring rather owlishly at the other. “Ah…” Ahhhh dammit… “W-Well, that is…”

An announcement cut through the air and quite suddenly the wheel of fortune came tearing through. Aki grabbed her helmet from the side, hopping on her own bike and taking the tag…

“Don’t let them stall any longer..!” Jack warned, the woman raising an eyebrow.

“Ah- Stall for what..?”

“Just don’t..!” he shouted after her as she took off, Taiyou in the meantime disappearing back into their strategy.

…Well. That was certainly a worthy distraction. ’ _Hn! The only thing we’re stalling for is our own demise by way of ennui..!_ ’

“No.” The two turned as Jack spoke, Crow’s eyebrows shooting up in blank surprise. Ah… …He was acknowledging Aiapaec’s existence now?

After all this time..?

The spirit didn’t seem to give it much attention surprisingly, simply floating with crossed arms and legs and growling. ’ _Pah! And you weren’t bored then?’_

“Hn! I meant they’re stalling for something important…” he muttered, turning back to the living members of the team. “But what it is…”

One could practically hear the gears spinning in Yuusei’s mind, the duel before them passing, passing…

…Quite suddenly panic was in the air. “That one-” Wait, what one, what one!?

“N- No way, that monster..!?” WHAT MONSTER DAMMIT, HE HADN’T BEEN PAYING ATTEN-

“ZUSHIN!?” …Oh.

WAIT _WHAT?_ “THEY’RE SUMMONING **_ZUSHIN_**!?!”

The warning was sent out. The sign held. And as the news spread through the audience, and realization grew and dawned over the world that was watching…

An energy seemed to fill the air. Almost like a light, or a flame, glowing, growing…

’ _No…’_ Aiapaec’s eyes widened not with horror or shock but merely dull surprise, his mouth somewhat agape as he moved to a 'standing’ position’. ’ _Well isn’t this a sight…’_

“Ah- Wh-What’s a sight..?” he questioned tensely. “If they summon Zushin-”

’ _Oh **please** , not the **card** you fool..!!_ ’ the spirit shouted back, a grin slowly appearing on his face. ’ _Hnhnhnhnhn… Something far more…_ ’

More..?

The energy in the air increased as the crowd began to cheer, as Aki’s final move in defense of the effort proved futile, as the world slowly pulled out their copies of the card that would soon threaten 5Ds entire match and held it with hope, awe, BELIEF-

The energy reached a fever pitch as it came to Taro’s turn…

And beside him, Aiapaec chuckled. ’ _Your country calls them 'tsukumogami’… Objects which gain an awareness after 100 years of existence… But any object, when placed in reverence has the chance to gain a spirit..! And any object, when enough power and belief is attributed to it, can become something MORE… Watch..!_ ’ he laughed, the energy bursting through the air and darkening the sky, breaking glass and forcing Crow and many of the others to bring an arm up in defense against the wind. ’ _The creation of a **GOD!**_ ’

Had anything else other than this been happening, he would have doubted all that Aiapaec had said just then.

But the fact was…

It _felt_ like a 'god’ was before them. It felt like it had when Thor was summoned to the field at the exhibition match, as it did whenever the Crimson Dragon appeared…

“No way…”

And above Zushin, the skies seemed to glow, like the sun that the team which believed so much in him had chosen for their name. And with a smirk, he made his move, Aki forced to make one last play in her defense before passing the tag to the final duelist. Their opponent was a god.

…And for a moment, he found himself wondering when things had gotten so weird that he could think such a thing so literally.


	33. Chapter 33

Warm light flooded the arena and the sky both, and wind blasted through the stadium… Despite this however no damage was made, no wreckage left in its wake. Up and out on the track, Yuusei seemed to vanish, his monsters following him…

And when he re-appeared, it was as though day itself had been so dark it was night, and the monster appearing now was the sun itself. Light- stardust, puns aside, fell from the dragon’s wings… And as they watched, he found himself momentarily shocked to silence. Even when he spoke, it wasn’t much.

“So… That’s ‘Accel Synchro’…”

No one could blame him for not knowing what it looked like really. He’d been passed out and more or less _dead_ when Yuusei had first achieved it, and he hadn’t used it in a duel since then. The fact that he was using it now in fact, was a testament to the challenge Team Taiyou’s newly created and summoned God posed for them.

…Aiapaec however…

’ _T-This is a card..!?_ ’

Side-eye glances aplenty were being fixed upon the ghost, Rua and Bruno successfully doing so only when it was apparent that all others standing in the 5Ds pit were looking at _something_.

“Oiii, weren’t you there the last time this happened..?” he asked with a low laugh, keeping his voice down. 

Aiapaec’s look, surprised as it was, almost caught him off guard really. ’ _…I had assumed one of the old gods had finally gotten off their rears and done something to stop the storm…! But looking at it now, this sort of energy…_ ’ AH-

W-wait wait wait- Was he saying Yuusei’s card was a god?? Was he- “A-Are you serious..!?”

Aiapaec, ignoring him, turned. ’ _This did not happen through the population of a country giving reverence and support..! This should NOT BE POSSIBLE..!_ ’ he continued, almost in protest. ’ _WHEN DID HUMANS CREATE THESE CARDS!?_ ’

Hahahah- HE WAS ASKING HIM? “How should I know, they didn’t even exist until now..!!!”

’ _THEN FIND OUT!_ ’ WHAT??

“OIII! DON’T ORDER ME AROUND BASTARD..!!”

’ _I WILL NOT BE DENIED MY INFORMATION..!_ ’

“YOU WILL IF I DECIDE TO!”

It was good for Crow that Team Taiyou was so distracted by their own duel to pay much attention to Crow’s words (not to mention who he was arguing with) really- the last thing he needed was more people assuming he’d gone completely off the edge.


	34. Chapter 34

In the battle against the gods, he couldn’t help but wonder if there was more to the ‘real damage’ they dealt than the cards themselves. He was probably wrong, mind- as Aiapaec himself had so proudly stated, even cards could become 'gods’, be it through reverence or even fear.

…However he couldn’t help but wonder nonetheless.

And as the duel progressed, he found himself asking himself what would have happened if he had been one of the duelists on the team to begin with. How would _his_ strategies have changed things, how would _he_ have done it? As Aki faced Brave, he had to grimace- he had about as many tricks as he did, and what was worse he hadn’t been too kind with his banter.

…Though perhaps that was what brought her to force them into a draw. One did not mention the days of the 'Black Rose Witch’ to Aki, oh no.

Not if they wished to _live,_ something that Brave had likely narrowly succeeded in.

It was Yuusei versus Harald in the end, and in the end it was Yuusei who won. And each time the gods reappeared he almost grimaced, finding himself strangely silent in the face of the match. He just couldn’t shake that feeling..! That something was appearing as more than just super-charged light, as something more… Aiapaec said nothing during the entire match himself, remaining in the tablet in uncharacteristic silence and bringing even more questions to mind.

He wouldn’t get his answers until later. Until, as the team took a well deserved break whilst waiting for the date of the finals, a shadow seemed to fall over the city. He’d almost missed it to be honest. And one couldn’t really blame him, he wasn’t exactly one of the Crimson Dragon’s signers, or someone with a rune eye.

But between a sudden feeling of dread, and the fact that the spinning of the momentum at the bottom of the old building he’d been cleaning up shifting… Slowing almost, as though preparing to switch rotation at any moment…

They all found themselves at the arena for the best look, to say the least. Not that the 'best look’ made it any easier to swallow. And as Team Ragnarok explained, the duel that would occur the next day would decide everything. Would the _thing_ in the sky crush them all, bringing about 'ragnarok’..?

Or would it vanish?

As they left, passing them, Harald spared Crow a glance…

And from behind the duelist, came the voice of some being he didn’t know, echoed undertones bringing the knowledge that its source was not at all of the living realm.

_'We know of the one you share power with,_ ’ an elderly voice warned, old but strong, graveled and powerful. And as he looked back Odin’s eyepatch seemed to almost 'glare’ down upon him, the spirit having remained behind just a moment as his partner went on ahead. ’ _Aiapaec,_ ’ he growled, the ghost in question remaining hidden out of what was no doubt _fear_. And Odin’s 'eye’ continued to bore down on him. ’ _…Know this- should you do anything to hinder the progress of the Signers… You will have three **trained** shaman to face in battle…_ ’

“Nh…” As the spirit left a chill passed through Crow’s spine, the shaman stiffening almost. Dimly he could hear the others ask if he was alright- if there was 'something’ going on, only for Ruka and Aki to look in the same direction and shake their heads. Odin after all had already left- there would be nothing to see, not now. As he turned back he forced a grin on his face and nodded- there was enough going on now already right? Wouldn’t be 'fair’ if something else appeared, hahaha…

Aiapaec did not leave his memory tablet until much later, when they were alone on the 'dock’ of the Old Momentum building’s entrance in the end. And when he did…

…For once, he didn’t say anything at all.


	35. Chapter 35

This… Was not good, he had to say.

Jack defeated Lucciano with an ease that seemed almost suspicious, after the difficulties that he and the others of ‘Team New World’ had posed so far. Of course, much like most of the others he’d missed that- even Aiapaec had been caught in the thrill of the defeat, his roaring laughs filling the air as he cursed the odd boy’s name in ways that Crow frankly hadn’t needed (or wanted) to know about. Placido as well, was defeated in the end… Though not without its costs. Jack was left with little remaining in regard to life…

And worse- the attack that did this happened right as he’d passed the pit on the track. Which meant that while Jack himself was coming to a near crash, scarcely holding on to duel a short time against Jose, just about everyone else from his team was having similar issues.

That sort of thing was expected, when the supports of the pit’s roof were suddenly destroyed.

Despite this, the duel continued on. As those in the pit stood however, they quickly discovered that injury would not be their only worry for those yet to duel.

Clouds of dust still filled the air and as he coughed rather painfully he attempted to see.

When he could see however, it did not ease his mood. “Shit..! Yuusei! Aki!” he called, the others standing from where they and the rest of the team were trying to recover from the blast. Their marks as signers it seemed, had protected them and those near. Across the way, Iliaster’s own beings and bikes were spared by their own unknown methods.

Unfortunately the same could not be said for _their_ bikes.

It was lucky really, that Jack’s loss happened so soon after he’d left the pit’s track line. As rules had it, he would be required to loop around rather than simply turning, which gave them time.

…Time to realize that they could not unbury Yuusei’s D-Wheel in the amount it would take for Jack to return. And with his bike and Aki’s both more or less destroyed, hers bearing a remarkable _lack_ of a front wheel despite the in-tact state of the dueling console, and his own lacking the handles and console itself…

Jack’s engine could be heard over the air.

This was _not_ a battle they could lose.

And as though already knowing what he had planned Aki moved, pulling her bike up and managing to somehow balance it on the torn spokes that made up the front 'wheel’ for the moment. 

There was no real way to tell if this was legal. It probably wasn’t even possible. Perhaps it would be obvious when people saw that the top of his bike was missing while the bottom of hers was in a similar state. But as the MC announced the damages that now sat over the pit, and the unfortunate dilemma that they faced, Jack rolled in, shaking, half dead…

…For a brief moment, he jumped back to life at the sight of what was about to duel in his stead. “Nng… The D-wheels..!” he managed to shout, medics already rushing toward him.

“Don’t worry!” Aki assured her teammate, taking the tag and slapping it on her shoulder. “We know what we’re doing..!”

“Can you even drive like that..!?” someone else protested, the message visible in Jack’s own eyes and face before he finally passed out from the exhaustion.

“We don’t have a choice..!” Crow countered, cracking his knuckles as Aiapaec’s essence hovered over his hand. Come to think that was probably why he was quiet… Let the 'student’ try his hand at something, Aiapaec was cruel enough to do it like that. What better way to test his worth than a battle to the death, all that fun…

Or perhaps for once he realized this wasn’t the time for words. The energy flowed through the bike and with his mind stretched back- at the front the head of the jaguar that Aiapaec’s helm so resembled. At the back, a 'tail’ that seemed to end with a similar, smaller head, grasping the front of Aki’s D-Wheel and filling it with power.

“Ready?” he called back, gripping the 'ears’ of the jaguar at their base.

“Go!”

The bike tore off and on the air the MC’s voice could be heard. There was a cable stretching between their bikes thanks to the oversoul; something that wouldn’t be seen as what it was from a distance, something that could easily be mistaken for a trailer hitch.

The MC, as it seemed, didn’t really know if this was legal either. But what he did know was that it was obvious only one person was dueling. Only one person _could_ duel, with the bikes in this state really. It was lucky he’d had his duel disk off the bike in fact, or he’d end up worse off than he already was.

Regardless.

The bike entered the track, and as they looked up to their opponent Jose almost seemed to chuckle with grim amusement, a comment on their hopeless state lost upon them. This was not the time… This was not the place…

For now there was only one thing to do. Aki drew her cards…

And grinding his teeth he did all he could to protect themselves and the bikes both.

…Or at the very least, he thought through the strain on his body, a scream echoing from behind, the one behind him. Each time the attack would connect, and each time he found himself throwing furyoku into the form, raising a shield in the form of massive feathers before Aki and her cards. The brunt of it, of course, had been targeting her to begin with.

But that did not change the force of what hit him.

That did not change the fact that he knew, if he slipped just a little, they would spin out of control and it would all be over. But Granel stood before them. Granel, with the power of Jack’s proud 'Scar Red Nova’ locked inside. …Perhaps, if not for the ridiculous lock on effectiveness in Black Rose’s ability, they could have 'survived’. Hell, once upon a time it would have been him and him alone out there, and how would he have fared then without some unknown card that he lacked?

But as it was..?

They traded one look, and faced the fires from above them that Jose set upon them. And from behind the shield Aki forced herself to make one last move, lifepoints plummeting beneath the direct strike. This was what they left Yuusei. This was all they could do.

It was strange… But for once, it was his body giving out first, not his 'reserves’ as Aiapaec put it. They rolled into the pit, Yuusei’s bike thankfully unburied and in at least enough condition as would allow it to drive… Tag passed on, a stretcher pulled out…

’ _Just him!_ ’ he thought he heard, ears still ringing. ’ _I’m fine! Just take him..!_ ’

Even more distantly, he thought he could hear Aiapaec snarling that he wasn’t allowed to die just yet- something he found himself giving a pained laugh at, tears dotting his eyes. Really…

He was far from death.

He just needed to lay down for a bit… That was all…

The shouts never stopped, but he supposed he didn’t really mind in the end, particularly when they were joined by Jack’s own.

It was better than none at all, really.


	36. Chapter 36

They couldn’t leave him alone. Not with this opponent.

The clouds were black and the skies thundered. Above it was impossible to miss the enormous shadow of a building that was looming overhead. And while Crow’s eyes were closed to the world, Aiapaec watched what transpired.

He did not like what he saw. The children Crow cared for were now in danger. Crow’s friends, those he considered his family, were in danger.

Crow was, to Aiapaec, a child himself. Aiapaec after all was a god of thousands of years but more importantly a god who had once ruled over an entire people, a people whose power over him, as it seemed, did not exist in those lands any more. He was barred from the only one left who could have acted as his host- barred from the only one who had ever even shown a slight bit of promise for survival in as long as had been since his people… His _children_ had died.

Crow’s ‘children’ were in danger. The 'children’ related to Crow were in danger.

Therefore, as with the Moche years ago, when other gods had reared their heads, the situation was the same.

His children were in danger.

He would not stand _idle_ as this happened.

And as Crow’s eyes began to open, and Jack ground his teeth from where he lay in his own hospital worthy bed, the spirit spoke. ’ _Both of you,_ ’ he growled, Jack himself looking almost suspicious of the address. ’ _Do you intend to sit while this one fights your people’s current greatest threat?_ ’

Well the answer was simple, wasn’t it?

They would not. Ignoring the protests of others in the room, of Ushio, and Mikage, of Carly, and Aki, they moved. Rushing down steps and to the front of the hospital they’d been rushed to, to where the vehicles of those there sat.

…About then, they realized one key issue, Aki coming up behind them. “Crow,” she spoke, Jack pausing from where he had grabbed his helmet and looking to the others himself. “Our D-wheels are ruined… They aren’t here right now; we can’t follow..!”

“Tch…” He couldn’t deny that. He’d forgotten it in the heat of the moment, but standing here, as the winds howled… He couldn’t deny a bit of that. His fists clenched, and Jack nodded from the side. They couldn’t follow- Jack could, but… “Jack..! Tell Yuusei we’re-”

’ _Are you giving up so soon, boy..?!’_

The trio stiffened, looking to the now grinning spirit. It was Aki who spoke first, narrowing her eyes and briefly entertaining the idea of perhaps summoning a card after the ghost- her power was not gone, after all. Under control yes, but not gone. “What are you talking about..?” she demanded, the spirit’s grin only persisting. “Our D-Wheels are destroyed… Crow’s energy can do a lot, but without even the parts-!”

’ _Is that so..? Did I ever say that then..?_ ’

“Nh-” It seemed Jack realized it first, the others as well quickly following the train of thought. “You don’t mean..!”

Crow’s eyes widened, and almost hesitantly he opened his mouth to speak. “You… …When you first explained 'Over Soul’… You said it was limited by the medium-”

’ _And your **imagination**. I had you summon my true form from nothing but the clothes on your back. Summon a GIANT from naught but pebbles on the ground… So tell me boy, when it comes to the material things you value most, which one can most clearly be imagined by yourself..!?_ ’

… _No_ …

It couldn’t be, he thought as Aki’s protests dully met his ears. It couldn’t… “But… His energy..!” His energy..?

He could almost laugh if this was any other time. As it was, his smile looked almost insane, broken as it was. “Near death states increase furyoku reserves… Even if they don’t replenish, I…” He wasn’t gone…

Not yet.

The grin upon Aiapaec’s face reminded him of the first time they’d truly met. When he’d attempted to take his body as his own once again, when he’d taunted him with what he would do without the dragon there. And yet this time…

This grin was for them.

Spotting a cable on the ground he nodded, taking one end in hand and tossing the other to Aki. “Jack!” he began, taking Aiapaec’s energy over his other hand. “We need to loop this through the front of the bike!”

If he had any qualms about it, Jack did not address them. Instead he nodded, giving the unspoken permission for the two others to position themselves on either side; the cable was held easily in the nook of the D-Whee'ls front.

The spirit’s power was fueled through the cord…

And with the roar of a single engine, three others took off, two invisible to the typical eye. It would be odd, they supposed- when support was given from two who were seemingly floating in mid-air, a state of confusion that would be mirrored by the two who were dueling even. But it would be worth it…

It was worth it..! Even if he could barely do more than give a weak cheer when it was over, laughing and grinning and half collapsing on his friend as they stopped far from the damage of Aporia’s defeat. Even if he could only really hold his eyes open for a few seconds at a time, trying to look at the suddenly clear blue sky…

As it…

Cracked.

“…No…”

They’d thought they’d won.

’ _Impossible..!_ ’

“But we defeated him..!”

They had no idea how very wrong they were.


	37. Chapter 37

“Crow Hogan.”

“Eh-?”

It was a funny thing, meeting another shaman. Truth be told, he considered it his first- if not the strangest.

But when the trio that were Team Ragnarok came before them to explain just who and what were immune to the effects of the ‘minus rotation’ above them, they gained a fairly clear interest in having a brief conversation with him.

It was the signers, not the bikes, that were immune. It didn’t matter what bike they used, it would work. Mind, this left him in a bit of a spot, and Aki wouldn’t be moving nearly as fast as the others on a Security issue D-Wheel but… Even so.

From where he sat in the hallway of the security building, staring out at the slowly evacuating city, Crow turned. Aiapaec, predictably, had fled to the relative seclusion that was his memory tablet- but while he himself didn’t have that advantage, he didn’t exactly know what to expect from the three.

…It wasn’t this though. “For someone as inexperienced as yourself, you seem to be making a fair amount of progress with your partner,” Harald observed almost coolly, ignoring the frown from Crow in response.

“Oi… And what’s that supposed to mean..??” he growled, crossing his arms. It was hardly the time for comparing notes as it was-! What was it going to do for them at a time like this??

The team looked to each other, and then to where Satellite stood. And before he could become annoyed enough with the silence to make any protests, it was Brave who answered. “You created a D-Wheel with 'oversoul’ didn’t you?” Er…

“So?”

Dragan had to give what nearly looked to be a smirk at that. “It’s only been a year since Aiapaec began moving again.”

“That is what Odin’s eye tells us.”

“Which means you nailed the first step of combative shamanism within a matter of months..!” Brave finished with a short laugh. “Most shamans take at least a few years; and more to perfect it.”

“As you are now, you could likely re-create a D-Wheel with as little as a handle-bar… …Or perhaps a duel disk,” Harald told him, almost hinting for him to try it.

Crow looked to his arm at that- his duel-disk was still with him after all, same with all his cards…

The trio moved past him, disappearing into another area of the Security building. “Think about it!” Dragan told him, giving a confident grin. “You might want to try it soon enough!”

He… Ah…

What..? ’ _…Well!’_ Aiapaec decided after a moment of silence, misting out beside the shaman once the three were gone. ’ _That was far from expected..!_ ’

Hahahaha…

Yes.

Yes it was.


	38. Chapter 38

He’d been surprised of all things, seeing them arrive at Daedalus bridge. Really, _surprised_. Of all the things…

Yuusei should have known they wouldn’t have left him alone. That they wouldn’t have simply sat by and watched him fight alone.

As they drove Rua had expressed more than just a little unease about being pulled along by something he could only faintly see, something that to him was a mirage. Ruka’s own worries were more along the lines of the fact that not only was Crow relying on nothing but furyoku to ‘drive’ at the moment, but that the bike he’d created was currently towing herself and Rua along by way of four spider-legs each.

It wasn’t exactly a comforting thing, but the fact remained that it meant there was a grip not only on both sides of their duel boards, but also a grip on each arm. So better than nothing.

Yuusei himself it seemed was the only one who couldn’t see it- though it was fairly obvious what was going on when a pair of D-Wheels drove in toward where he’d prepared to drive along the bridged formed of the combined powers of reverse-turning momentum and three great oversouls, and a third rider came in on something he couldn’t see.

Heck- if not for the momentum itself, he wouldn’t likely be able to see the road even.

But that didn’t matter. None of that mattered. The point was, they were going to stop this. Even when the road behind them began to crumble- even when Aki was nearly lost to gravity, her bike falling behind.

There was something strange about this man in shades; even his D-Wheel seemed to emanate something 'off’, something he couldn’t place.

But it was his actions that had saved Aki and Yuusei when the road collapsed entirely. It was because of him that they were all together at the top of the Arc Cradle.

So he said nothing, and drove, focusing on the control over his over-soul bike. Driving onward, and holding it in place once they reached the center.

However…

“What now..?”

That was the question wasn’t it? There was no where left to go here, none at all. They’d come to a place with no way in, and for what? How did they reach the planetary gears if there was no way in..?

…The answer wasn’t quite what they expected, to say the least. The ground opened beneath them and they were plunged into darkness, falling one way and then seeming to turn within a void to fall another. As though gravity no longer existed, or something even stranger.

They would die at this rate, he realized. They’d die. Unless, as they fell toward three piers they’d passed once already…

With a swift burst of energy he pushed against the force causing them to fall, and a great explosion of power surged past them- the unknown d-wheeler and Yuusei fell to one pier. Jack and Aki to another, bikes clattering with them.

And for himself, creating a cushion of furyoku, he landed with the twins upon the third. “GNH-”

“Ngh… Ow ow ow…”

“C-Crow..!” As Rua looked up from where he was nursing his head the others stared across the piers, swallowing. Ruka herself moved from where she was worriedly looking to Crow, the shaman himself grimacing as he stood.

“D… Damn…” he hissed, rubbing his aching shoulder. “Separated…”

“Don’t worry about that Crow!” came Yuusei’s shout in response. “You got us to stop falling after all, didn’t you?”

Mnnn…. “Tch… Even so…”

The unknown duelist raised a hand a moment, and attention turned to him. “Perhaps this is for the better; I have access to the layout of the Arc Cradle,” he explained, Aiapaec listening as well as he floated up next to Crow. “These paths we’re on each lead to one of the three planetary gears- there is no other path!” None…

“Hm!” A nod from Jack, and in an instant the man was back on his own bike. “In that case, we’ll take advantage of our situation..! Aki!”

“Mn!” She looked to the others. “Jack and I will handle this one. We’ll meet at the point between the three gears..!” Alright…

… “Alright..!” A look to Aiapaec and a D-Wheel was again formed, Crow swallowing back a wash of fatigue as he prepared to drive. The twins as well prepared to move, the spider’s legs grasping their boards again. “We’ll take this one then! Yuusei!” he added, flashing a thumbs up toward him- “Good luck!”

“Aah!” With nothing else to say, each of them drove their separate ways…

…Not at all aware of just what would stand between them and the planetary gears before them.


	39. Chapter 39

As Crow drove with the twins at his sides, Aki and Jack would reach the first gear. They would watch as Sherry appeared before them and set them into a fog, and as they dueled the room quaked not under Aki’s powers as one could initially suspect but ‘real damage’ powered by the gear beneath them. And as the duel came to an end and the walls collapsed around them Aki would find herself screaming within her mind for a way to keep them all from death, a way to be not merely safe but able to move after…

As Crow and the twins arrived at their destination, the wounds of Aki, Jack, and Sherry as well would begin to fade, the trio looking up with mixed reactions to the Black Rose Dragon protecting them. Healing… Her powers could… Heal… Not simply destroy, or at the very least become a force for others protection, but _heal_..!

If only such an ability were present with the others now.

As Yuusei continued to take the longest route with the 'unknown duelist’… As Sherry joined Jack and Aki on the way to their decided meeting place… Crow and the twins would arrive at their destination.

A second foe appeared before them, and without warning locked them in place with needles and wires. Aporia, despite Crow’s protests and even the unheard snarls from Aiapaec, would face not only himself…

But the twins as well.

And it seemed, by merely insisting that Aporia do otherwise, he had inspired the android to target them as actively as possible. He moved first- he set up the field as well as always, and prepared for the worst of it. There were devices latched over their hearts, devices which would not only kill them when they lost, but if they attempted to flee.

That did not change how Aporia bypassed what he’d done, however. Attempts to redirect damage to himself merely doubled it, and had it been anything other than a shrewd play on their opponent’s part he’d have been ready to kill himself for being so foolish. And when all else failed Aporia merely targeted the children regardless, their cries filling the air as he demanded their opponent do otherwise. Somehow, Rua had his Power Tool Dragon on the field still, even as bullets fired down upon them…

But that was not enough. The twins were blasted backward, face down, clothes singed… Barely moving, barely twitching even, the only thing that kept them from being blown against a wall being the very cord that held them in place.

100 life points. That was all they had. 100 lifepoints each…

And here he was, standing with a mere 800 shy the standard 4000.

“Is there any way,” he hissed, Aporia likely assuming he spoke to his opponent. “To destroy these devices…”

Aporia was not the one he was speaking to, and so his response was ignored. As Aiapaec floated between the android and his partner however, Crow’s head bowed and his fists clenched and tight with rage, the spirit narrowed his eyes.

’ _Not a **safe** one._ ’

“For them? Or for _me_?” he growled in response, looking up to the ghost.

There was no answer.

However there was no argument either. And suddenly, surges of electricity began to fill the air- and though he could not see what was happening Aporia could not ignore the rage filled expression on Crow’s face, the very reverse of the despair he had expected- “What are you doing..!?” he questioned, unable to see the enormous amounts of energy, the last of what Crow had, being poured through his being and through the ground toward the others. “WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?”

“DESTROYING YOUR LEVERAGE..!” Rua and Ruka  were opening their eyes- sitting up and whingeing through their pain only to stare at the devices over their hearts as they sparked, cracked…

“NH-”

“HH-AAAH!!”

Exploded- “G-HAK-!” Quite abruptly Crow grabbed at his chest, collapsing to his knees and finding his focus torn from the 'oversoul’ of sorts he’d used to break through the devices. And before him blasts of energy fired from the monsters at Aporia’s side… And before him, Aporia did nothing more than hold a few fingers up, eyes wide with incredulous rage.

“Whatever you did now you will not be doing again,” he warned, not caring what effects were turned up in defense, not caring that the combined attacks had managed to leave his opponent still alive. As Crow struggled to stand, ears dimmly registering the worried cries from the twins, Aporia’s eyes were only on the sole 'heart meter’ remaining. “And if you wish to prolong his life a little longer,” the android continued, looking to the twins, “You will remain in place. Or perhaps better surrender, sparing all of your lives!” he shouted.

If any of the twins were considering it, they did not say so. Instead, half dead on his feet, Crow looked to Aporia with eyes that were very much still filled with life. “You know damn well,” he rasped, “What a _lie_ that is…”

It was his turn. And regardless of what Aiapaec was screaming, regardless of whatever it was (he couldn’t hear him, not any more, not…)…

He would use it well. One special summon, another special summon, and a final normal summon in the form of Vayu and his lifepoints were near destroyed completely. One spell, and the field of his allies were open for him to tamper with- open for him to use Vayu to bring about Rua’s treasured Lifestream Dragon to restore their lifepoints, open for him to use what else he had to give Ruka her Ancient Fairy Dragon… And… Well.

Since Lifestream was Rua’s after all, it was Rua, not him who would be immune to effect damage. And since it wasn’t Rua who summoned, but himself…

Crow smiled almost bitterly as Aporia announced the effects of Level Canon and Asterisk combined. As gunfire rained down on him and his teeth ground against each other, Crow fighting to hold back a scream. As the effect known as 'Nemesis Tornado’ charged toward him-

“Gh… GGRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-!!!”

He was still standing after that hit, somehow. Who knew how. But he was still standing. With his arms limply at his sides, and his eyes glazed over in a dull register of the pain that still clung to him. And then suddenly, for just a split second, they shot open in shock.

“Gl-K!”

The blades stabbed forward… The screams around him dulled further, and he took a stumbling step forward. His eyes closed over…

…And with one last quiet, shuddering breath he fell, body welcoming the oblivion that awaited him.


	40. Chapter 40

Where was he..?

He didn’t feel any pain, and yet somehow it was as though he didn’t feel anything at all. He was simply floating in a void, dark and black…

Stars, pinpricks of light and mist, began to meet his eyes as he stared upward. Dimly he stared, eyes half closed in the weariness that was still encompassing him somehow and body hanging limp in the vast expanse. And finally, after many long moments of silence, he wondered aloud-

“…Am I dead then..?”

’ _No, child. You are not._ ’

His eyes opened wide as the voice of a being he had not expected to hear ever again met his ears, and as he forced himself to move to what was more of a standing position in the void he became frozen. With flames rolling in an endless flow of red and gold, with eyes whiter than the brightest of lights the Crimson Dragon hovered before him, and as he choked on any words he might have said, the dragon continued.

’ _Fear not,_ ’ he warned. ’ _I am no here to bring judgement. Not to you, at least._ ’ What…

“Then… Why..?” Why…

_‘Why indeed,_ ’ the dragon chuckled. ’ _As we speak your heart yet beats once again, thanks to the power of my two chosen servants. Their partners in the meantime have both taken the necessary steps to leave you with, at the very least, enough life to fight on._ ’

They’d activated something that prevented that..? Those two… “So then why am I here..?” Crow asked, raising his voice as renewed energy began to fill him. “If that’s true, then it would have been fine to just wake me up, wouldn’t it..!?”

Silence was his response, and his annoyance grew.

“Oi… ANSWER ME! 'CRIMSON DRAGON’..!”

’ _Hnhnhnhnhn… You are every bit as easy to aggravate as he is,_ ’ the Dragon noted, Crow’s rage-filled scowl shrinking with confusion. ’ _I never thought that the day would arise when I used these words to compliment…_ ’

Ah… Wh…

“…What..?”

If it was possible, the dragon seemed to grin. ’ _Many moons ago,_ ’ he began, ’ _You are the one to whom I would have given my second head, the Shield of the Signers, and my Tail. At the time, I had thought the interference of a being such as Aiapaec more than crippling to your potential; while he had brought into existence the pieces required to awaken the one whose bloodline was directly tied to the fate of the Tail, he had simultaneously tainted the one I myself had chosen to continue that line..!_

’ _However,_ ’ the Crimson Dragon continued, Crow rendered silent with confusion and shock both, ’ _I see now that this is not the case. You have grown strong, child of the Moche. You have struggled, and given all you have, even when the opportunity to save the life of your own was present..! You have retained the heart of a truly honorable being!_ ’ he roared. ’ _And for that reason I will lend you my power! Where once you were my Shield you shall become my Heart! And with that Heart you will channel my every being into reality, as once you did the Decapitator God!_ ’ He…

“ _What_ …!”

There was no response, merely a charge that had him caught so off guard he could not even bring his arms up in defense. Fires surrounded him. Consumed him completely, filled every fire of his building. Hot… Hot, hot hot..! He was burning, from skin to bone, burning completely…

And suddenly it was merely 'warm’, he realized, his eyes yet closed whilst he faded from the realm of stars. Pleasant even… Calm…

’ _Arise,_ ’ he could hear someone whisper in the back of his mind, his body seeming to burst into flames in reality, those around jumping back in horror for reasons which varied depending on 'sight’. ’ _Arise!_ ’ The Crimson Dragon repeated, the marks of his being scattered over Crow’s form. ’ _FOR YOU HAVE PROVEN THAT EVEN THE DARKEST OF GODS MAY YET STILL CARE FOR THIS WORLD!_ ’


	41. Chapter 41

It had been a simple matter of a combination of cards, and faith in the other. Ruka had activated a trap which would allow all players to activate spells before the end phase of the current turn. Rua activated a spell which would switch control of two monsters on the field for the same amount of time.

Control over Lifestream Dragon wouldn’t have done anything- the damage was already done.

However, control of _lantron_ …

The twins had watched with baited breath as the lights about lantron’s rim spun, yellow to green to yellow and back. Briefly it seemed to land on exactly the one they did not want- however…

“G-Green..!” Rua shouted in relief, the light shining over their fallen friend. “Hahhh!!”

Lifepoints rose. And as the green light faded, another replaced it.

“Ah- What..?” Red light began to fill the air- rising up first from the symbols of the tail and hand both, the twins watching as the glow of their signer marks began to intensify. Elsewhere the marks of the others followed- wings, leg, head. A different sort of glow than they were used to- an almost flaming one, a brilliantly shining one that went far beyond the typical flash of red.

And as the markings faded, their gaze was drawn toward Crow’s fallen body, a twitch coming from the edges of his fingers as he began to move. And as he began to move, the glow arose to surround him completely- coating him with flames that reminded them of the Crimson Dragon itself, and if they were right, even brought such a feeling to the spirit that was now backing away from his fallen partner.

_‘Impossible…!’_ Aiapaec was hissing under his breath, eyes wide with a fear for his own being. ’ _Impossible..! A merge with him would kill any mortal being regardless of power..!_ ’

Kill?

Though they momentarily flinched, it became clear that Aiapaec’s words had found an exception. The glow, if anything, only seemed to help him to move more, the colours of fire bleeding across the air even for those who could not see such existences from beyond the veil.

On his right arm appeared Ruka’s signer mark, the hand blazing to life. On his left came that of the wings, his duel disk seeming to sprout them  with the intention of flight almost. Upon his left leg, the leg of the dragon. Upon his right, the tail. And finally as the shaman pulled himself to his feet, eyes yet closed to the world and shadowed by flames, the head appeared between his shoulders.

And when his eyes opened they were white with flame, fires leaping off his form and for a brief moment surrounding all on Crow’s side of the field. Their shackles crumbled. The device over his heart shattered. And as the shaman hovered in the air the flames slowly returned to surround him, the twins looking over their restored bodies in wonder before looking back.

“C-Crimson… Dragon…”

’ _Gh… You say that like this is a good thing..!_ ’ Aiapaec hissed, ignoring the jump Rua gave when he spotted the spirit with full clarity for the first time.

Across from them Aporia could not see the source of what had occurred of course- he saw the devices destruction, the recovery of his opponents physical wounds, but what he saw of Crow was merely a seemingly mortal man hovering in mid air. “How,” he asked, almost demanding an answer from those before him. “How did you destroy-”

“Don’t worry,” Crow responded, the twins finding themselves almost shocked by the slight echo surrounding it. “We won’t leave…” The cards in his hand yet existed… It was still his turn… “Not yet.”

And from the back of his mind, the words of the Crimson Dragon burned through his skull. They had a way out now…

And so!

“I activate the effect of Black Feather Vayu the Grand Flag from my graveyard..! By removing it and another monster from play, I can synchro summon from the grave!”

“What…!?”

There were protests, of course- another summon would only kill him again, was he really going to stake everything on Lantron once again..??

…No.

He wasn’t. “I remove from play Vayu, as well as Black Feather 'Armored Wing’..!” he announced, fire seeming to collect in his hand, blazing red and then cooling to white- as miles away in a ruined D-wheel, sparks and ash seemed to fall from some unseen source near the vehicle, and as a wind from nowhere seemed to blow around him…

He wasn’t a Signer. There were only ever five, and there were only ever five dragons who served the Crimson Dragon.

For Aiapaec however… 

There was one. And by the Dragon’s power that 'one’ would now return. By its power that one would fight as though he were one of those five. That one monster…

“Darkened gales, become the wings that soar from resolved hope!” he announced, the fires blazing as a dragon’s bird-like roar pierced the air. “Synchro summon! **SOAR, BLACK FEATHER DRAGON**!”

As expected with the summon the bullets and wind shot forward, but instead of striking him down again they were captured in the feathers of the dragon. He had a feeling however- just a feeling, that if he were to reverse the effects absorbed now it would only fail them. It would be smart, to lower Asterisk’s attack further than it already was now.

However somehow he knew that wouldn’t work. The attack was ordered, and as the Black Feather dragon clashed against its opponent the first of Aporia’s other monsters shattered for its sake. In response however, a trap was activated…

And so he set another card- he watched the laser damage come toward him and activated his Black Feather Dragon’s effect. He had nothing but this…

End turn.

The fires were keeping Aiapaec silent and distant. They were filling Aporia with confusion and fear, as their energies scorched the ground and left ashes in their wake, holding him a loft for no reason, or so it seemed.

What happened next would make all of that irrelevant, however- Ruka went next; she destroyed the field spell around them through the Ancient Fairy Dragon’s power, and in the process gained 1000 lifepoints.

In but a moment it was Rua’s turn to move- and as that moment came the others acted.

“Activate trap! Wild Tornado!” Crow roared, the 'Cursed Synchro’ card on Aporia’s field shattering immediately.

And in response another trap rose, this time from Rua’s side. “Trap activate! Synchro Big Tornado!”

And then Ruka-

“Fairy Breath..!”

Aporia had a trap to activate as well, it seemed. “CHAOS INFINITY!” he roared, explaining its purpose as two monsters appeared to the field, all others entering attack mode in an instant. 'Army of Skiel’ was nothing. They could handle Skiel’s boost to Asterisk.

But with the add-on from the mechanized behemoth that was 'Infinity’, bringing a full 4000 more points to Asterisk’s collection…

Heh.

He had just the thing for this then! “Black Feather Dragon’s effect activates!” he announced, the force of the other traps holding in the air for moments as he moved. “By removing all black feather counters, I decrease the attack of one of my opponent’s monster’s by 700 points, while inflicting the same amount of damage! I choose 'Infinity’!” he finished, the monster slowly shrinking as a result. One token down… And then another as fires shot toward Aporia, the android’s body giving off sparks as he hung from his ruined 'field’.

And then the rest of the cards took effect. Already Aporia’s 2600 life points were down to 1200. Asterisk’s attack down to 6900. And with the second strike of 5400 points it lowered further to 1500- and so…

“Lifestream dragon attacks Asterisk..!” Rua announced, the dragon striking it down with ease. And in a blast of power Aporia’s monsters shattered in his face. The walls began to crumble, and Aporia himself fell back into the void before them.

As for himself…

The fires coalesced into a single pillar, condensing further and further until it was but a thin hair of flame- before it burst outward and the teen collapsed to the ground on the spot. 

“AAh-!!”

The signer marks returned, and as the walls fell around them the twins and Aiapaec both rushed to his side. “C-Crow..!” Rua shouted, shaking him. “Crow..!”

He was awake. Somehow. Coughing… Not moving… “Hhhhah… hah….” And warm. Very warm- a fever had nothing on this. He couldn’t move. He knew he couldn’t move! He couldn’t… “…Ai… Apaec…” He couldn’t get them out of here… He couldn’t help them- so if he could just…

’ _…Tch._ ’ The spirit snorted. ’ _And you wonder why I hate the old fire snake…_ ’

He’d have laughed if he wasn’t so tired. As it was, he more than willingly set his consciousness aside to rest as the spirit took control, Aiapaec standing the body up as the twins stared in mixed horror and confusion. “HAhhh…” The spirit gave his neck a crack, shook his arms somewhat. “The strain these muscles are in, ridiculous…”

“Y-You’re…” Rua swallowed, taking a step back. “Hihhhhhh…!! But I thought you were the guy that-”

“Cheh!” Aiapaec snorted, and with but a snap of his fingers the furyoku his partner still had was formed to his will- the twins were grabbed, the boards at the side were grabbed. “Complain later brats..! You aren’t dying just yet..!”

“Eh- Ah…” They couldn’t exactly complain as the spirit ran down through the collapsing hall, finding themselves dumped onto the ground once they escaped to the safety outside the gear’s 'duel chamber’ so to speak.

As the twins looked up however they heard a hiss, watching Aiapaec move to clutch his middle. “Sff… Damn dragon…” he cursed, the twins staring. “Mind as well have burned him inside out..!”

“Ah… Burned..!?” Rua repeated, eyes wide. “Then Crow’s going to-”

“Oh please!” the spirit retorted, “He’ll be fine… Provided he sees one of your 'doctors’ in the next twelve hours,” he added with a grim smirk.

Ruka swallowed, looking to the possessed form of her friend rather uncomfortably. “…Why?” she finally asked. “Why did you bother saving us as well?”

“Yea!” Rua repeated, grabbing his board from the side. “You don’t care about us..! You’re the one who killed me before..! Why…” He couldn’t finish his question- likely because he would have to think of asking why Crow had allowed the spirit to take his body again.

Regardless, Aiapaec just about spat on the ground. “It has nothing to do with you brats, that’s for sure..!” he growled, the words sounding foreign coming from Crow’s mouth. “I’d better be getting plenty of ramen for it..!” he added, resulting in a light shock for the others. “…And a steak..!”

“Eh… Steak..???”

Ruka coughed, deciding that in the end it wouldn’t be worth pushing. “…L… Let’s just go find the others…”

Whether Aiapaec followed out of desire to keep the body as long as possible or simply out of having nothing better to do, who knew really. But it was certainly a nerve-wracking walk.


	42. Chapter 42

About half way down the hall Aiapaec stopped, the twins looking back with raised eyebrows.

“Ehh? Something wrong?” Rua asked, albeit with a tone that said he wouldn’t particularly mind if it was Aiapaec who died in a fire in a moment.

The spirit merely chuckled. “Hnhnhnhn… Looks like there’s someone waiting for you..!” he laughed, grinning almost manically. “Seems that’s my cue!”

“Eh- Cue?” Ruka questioned, only to hurriedly find herself and her brother moving to (attempt to) catch Crow’s body. “What..?”

’ _Your friends are ahead…_ ’ the spirit offered in defense, seeming all too amused by the struggles the twins where having in dragging a very much unconscious body down the hall. ’ _Somehow, I doubt they’ll be quite so calm in their reaction to the possession of a friend..~_ ’

“Ngh… So you do this..!?” Rua protested, only for Ruka to nod. “Ah- Ruka..!”

“It’s for the best,” she acknowledged. “Aki, and Jack… They’d both overreact.”

’ _I thought we could come to an agreement…_ ’ the spirit chuckled. ’ _Now… I’ll be taking my leave…_ ’ he finished, vanishing into the memory tablet.

With that done with Ruka merely sighed, Rua groaning.

“Mouuuu… But he’s heavy..!!”

“Mn… We’ll make it…”

“Rukaaaaaa…”

“Just keep pulling Rua..!”

By the end of it their ‘arguing’ would garner attention from those down the hall, the first being Sherry, followed by the others. As it turned out, Aki had developed healing powers anyways as well- so perhaps, they decided, it really _had_ been for the best that Aiapaec left.

…Even if Crow was still unconscious for a fair bit of time after.


	43. Chapter 43

Even Aki’s healing didn’t fix everything.

When he began to regain consciousness, he started wishing he was still out cold really. “Ngm… What-”

“Crow!” Aki ‘shouted’, the volume of her voice not actually going higher than 'speaking tones’. “You’re awake..!” Yes. Yes he was.

Now who turned off the sky and dropped them in a junkyard.

“Ow…” And charred his insides (wait he knew that one-)…

Blearily he could make out the others from where he’d been slumped over Aki’s borrowed D-Wheel. Yuusei in particular moved, having apparently been blocking his view. “Aah- Crow… Rua and Ruka mentioned the Crimson Dragon appeared..?” Mn? They didn’t know..?

With a bit of effort he nodded, and Yuusei seemed to do the same.

“Mnn…”

“What’s going on anyways…” he muttered, attempting to sit up in the bike’s seat only to frown. “Gh- A-Apoira-!”

“He’s fighting Z-One,” Aki explained almost flatly.

“Z-one..?” The guy in the robot..?

Nodding all around. And then Jack spoke. “…He’s not winning.”

Indeed he wasn’t, he would quickly realize.

And more importantly, as Aiapaec floated into being beside him…

’ _There’ll be a counter,_ ’ the ghost said rather plainly, observing as Aporia’s final play came into being. ’ _Mark my words… Hn! What a foolish thing to put stock in…_ ’ Ah…

What?

And yet Aiapaec was proven correct. His grave was returned to his deck. The deck was shuffled.

Aporia lost.

As those who could run ran to his side Crow had to stare, unable to do much more than listen. That…

Z-One had been friends with Aporia, hadn’t he? Aporia had done everything for Z-One, everything to bring Z-One to their time and place, so…

In his last moments Aporia threw something toward Yuusei’s D-Wheel, and for a moment he had to wonder if he was looking at an oversoul- wings of some sort of flame, or plasma appeared and spread for a moment, only to shrink back down into the bike…

With that very action Aporia’s sparks ceased, and his eyes dulled. Aporia was gone-

Which left the matter of Z-One.

Only one would duel him- and in the end, it was obvious who, wasn’t it? Aki gave him her Black Rose Dragon. Jack gave him Red Daemon’s, and the twins handed over their own dragons. And as Yuusei took their encouraging words and nodded, moving toward his bike, he forced his voice above a whisper.

“Hey, Yuusei.. ..!” he managed to call, grimacing nonetheless at the protest his throat had in response. His friend turned, and as he did so Crow pulled a card from his deck.

’ _Mn- Oiii! Don’t just handle that one lightly..!_ ’

Ignoring the spirit he held it forward, Yuusei taking the card and looking over it. “Ahh… This is…”

“My dragon,” Crow answered with a grin. “Hey- don’t think I’m going to leave you hanging eh?”

A small bit of silence… And then a smile. “Aah. Thank you, Crow.” The card was added to his extra deck… And as he turned back toward his D-Wheel he nodded. “I’ll definitely win with these..!”

No one could simply not smile in some way when he said that really. No one- their faith and will were in those cards- their feelings were with him in battle. They were with him when Z-One’s mask shattered, revealing the aged face of Yuusei himself, shock coming over any who saw.

They were with him as Z-One explained just how he had 'become’ Yuusei- an explanation that had Aiapaec mutter something along the lines of 'and they say I’m the odd one’ before falling quite silent.

They were with him as the first five Machine Gods were shattered, and as Yuusei fell beneath their view…

“YUUSEI!”

For but a moment, blinding light flashed before them. A moment, nothing more.

And then the D-Wheel shot past, and just as quickly soared back up.

The duel continued. Yuusei flew further- higher, higher…

If the screen was right, he was bringing all of their dragons out now- he had Lifestream at the front… And with four others, the light that seemed to surround their friend was nearly blinding.

…The dragon seemed to draw from Stardust in appearance, strangely enough. But it was the power of the dragons who allowed it to appear which broke through the next line of Z-One’s defenses. And when Quasar was done, Shooting Star Dragon took its place against the final being that Z-One summoned.

And when that failed as well…

“Heh…” Their power- their hopes and dreams combined- the strength of each and every one of their dragons was added to that of Stardust’s own. It was Yuusei’s final attack- their final attack.

And in the aftermath…

Rumbling tore through the air and the others stumbled at the force. “W-What..!” Cracks began to appear in the ground, hissing, crumbling, opening wide for the junk surrounding them to collapse between them. “What the hell-!”

“I thought we stopped it though..!” Rua protested, the collapse seeming to happen even faster if it was possible. “What’s going on..!?”

Portions of the cradle were falling off… Glass shattering, stone falling…

They were falling, he realized quite soon after that thought. Screams were filling the air and not a single one of them could do anything about it…

He saw fire in the corner of his eyes. ’ _Oh no… Not him AGAIN!_ ’ Aiapaec for his part was back in the tablet, a scowl briefly visible to his partner-

Crow however found himself wincing almost.  "Nmh…“

He closed his eyes for an instant, but instead of the fairly intense flames of the Dragon as expected, he opened them to find himself looking out at Neo Domino and Satellite both. Watching as the clouds cleared, the sun began to rise, and…

"No…” The Arc Cradle was dissolving. Crumbling away into dust…

…But… “Yuusei…”

Yuusei wasn’t there. The Arc Cradle wasn’t there. So then, Sherry’s prediction that he would die had been-

“Wait…” Aki announced, squinting at something in the distance. “There’s something there…”

Something..?

From this distance, it was naught but a spec. But as the glare from the sun toned down and the figure came closer everyone of them found themselves caught in shock. “Y… Yuusei..!”

“He’s alive..!” Rua laughed, jumping onto the railing and waving. “YUUSEI!!”

“Mahhhh… He had us all worried..!” Crow laughed with a cough, the fist pound Jack had ready quite suddenly being pulled back. “AH- Oii, what’s that for-!”

“Gh. …Even with Aki’s healing you would probably fall over…!”

“WHAT-”

“Yuusei!” Aki shouted out, Yuusei in question much closer. “Welcome back..!”

The bike pulled up, and as it continued to hover in the air their friend merely smiled. They were all alive, somehow…

…It was over now.


	44. Chapter 44

In only six months after that day, a lot had changed.

Jack, a few weeks after, had left Neo-Domino without so much as a word- with nothing but a brief e-mail from Bommer giving a clue as to why.

Aki in the meantime would be graduating soon; she was also, apparently, getting a fair bit of offers from organizations to represent them in riding duels. A part of them wondered how it would have gone if Crow had been the one to duel during the WRGP really- aside from the one match, he was a ‘nobody’ to them. He almost wanted to do what Jack had, leave the city and find a way to get his own name known but…

Heh. Like he could leave just like that in the end. The kids were here, Yuusei was here… 

Or perhaps it was more the feeling that there was something important coming. Like a storm almost, growing in the distance.

The engine of the restored Blackbird hummed as he drove, and in a few moments he had come to the entrance of the Old Momentum building he’d 'claimed’ so long ago. Jaeger, as it seemed, had found out what he’d done- he himself had discovered this from the trio that were Team Ragnarok, who had commented on the lighting and relative cleanliness of the place.

Most likely they had been suspecting Jaeger for that but, regardless.

“Hahhhhhhhhhn…” He yawned, pulling the bike inside and stopping it further up the hall before cracking his neck. In the end, he got to keep the place somehow. On paper, he’d been hired for upkeep of the memorial cap above it, complete with an 'official’ tie to Sector Security… …And a jacket.

Off paper, he was basically told he could live there as long as he wanted so long as he did one thing.

Make sure the never-dying momentum at the bottom didn’t go out of control ever again.

Quite frankly, he could live with that. 

It was weird he’d admit- not having to sneak into the place. But…

Well, he could at least get used to it.

Crow tossed his jacket over the chair in the room he’d been using for sleep as of late, collapsing on the couch with a stretch. It was all well and good that he got the place to himself really… But maintaining that memorial sitting above it was a hell of a lot harder than he’d expected..! Between it and the stuff he had to do to keep the Old Momentum building itself in shape, along with the amount of time the others were spending on matters in their own lives, school or otherwise…

He stared at the ceiling in silence, and Aiapaec snorted from beside him. ’ _Exhausted to the point of silence! That’s something even I’ve never managed to do_ ,’ he chuckled, grinning as his partner groaned.

“Mnnnnn… What’s that supposed to mean…”

’ _Oh… Nothing…’_ the spirit answered. ’ _I don’t suppose someone’s been following you as of late have they..?_ ’ Follow-

“AH-!” He shot up from the couch, eyes wide as he sputtered. “F-Follow- What do you know!?”

’ _Absolutely nothing..!_ ’ Aiapaec insisted, still grinning. ’ _I just told you that, didn’t I?’_

For a moment he considered coming back to that…

…Decided it wasn’t worth it in the end. Too much stuff to work on in the 'house’ in the morning, too tired to bother. Old Momentum was, after all, an old and more importantly business oriented building at one time.

Among many of the standard utilities in the smallest of apartments a shower, in the end, was not included in the main design. At least not unless it was a chemical cleaning one, and as he discovered the hard way, _those hurt like fucking hell_. Which meant that he had the joys of figuring out how the hell plumbing even worked as he tore apart the womens washroom.

He was keeping the mens dammit. Like hell he was passing up the chance to have his own urinal.

As it was. Two months in from when he got to move in, and the soon to be shower room looked like a bomb hit it. Some pipes were re-directed, others blocked off, tiles had to be salvaged from other areas and then put back in…

…And then there was trying to find a way to cook things with something other than a microwave.

…Yea that wasn’t going well. Had to get done eventually though, ugh…

’ _Oi._ ’

“Mnnnnnngh.” He grumbled semi-internally, body somehow slumped over the side of the couch already.

’ _Oiii! Brat!_ ’

“Whaaaat.”

’ _Your phone’s getting on my nerves,_ ’ the ghost growled, Crow raising an eyebrow to look at the phone-screen in question. Oh… …It was beeping… ’ _ANSWER IT._ ’

Noooooo…

The ringing continued, and so did the glare from Aiapaec.

…AAAAUGH…

Still grumbling at the (grinning) spirit he moved, stumbling over to the screen and hitting the button. “…'Lo…?”

Yuusei blinked, briefly adjusting his glasses. “…Ah… Is this a bad time, Crow..?”

“AH-” He looked up, attempting to push back any exhaustion he had. “Ahahaha! Of course not..! Just dealing with… Things.” …Lots of them.

A bit of staring, but in the end he nodded. “Aah. I see. You’ve been quite busy as of late.”

Ahahaha… “Eh… Well, so has everyone else right..? Aki’s probably working on entrance exams right..?” …At least, that was how it was supposed to go right? Hell if he had a clue.

Yuusei seemed fairly sure there was an alternative if his response was any sign. “Aah. Something like that. I’ve been reviewing those myself…” What.

“Eh- Y-You’re taking entrance exams..?” … _Really_?

A nod. “Regardless of what I know, an employer within Momentum’s building won’t hire someone without a degree… It’ll take time, but I intend to at least try.” Hohhhh…

“Ah… Well, good luck..?”

A small smile. “Aah. What about you then?”

Er? “M-Me?”

“You’ve been working on the rooms in Old Momentum, haven’t you? How is that?” Oh- Oh that was right, since he hadn’t gotten the chance to talk…

“Eh… Well, I got the living spaces cleared up I guess… I got a shower going at least, so that’s good!”

“Oh, really?”

“Yep! Who knows, maybe one day I’ll get a whole bath-house in there hahaha!” Even cooler than having a shower the size of a bathroom (though he would probably regret that someday…).

“…Is that safe..?” Uh.

“…Probably..?” HOPEFULLY??

Yuusei merely stared in response to that, but after shaking his head somewhat he sighed in what Crow hoped was amusement rather than worry. “Aah. Well. It was good to speak to you, Crow.”

“Heh! You too! I’d forgotten how long it was…” he admitted almost uneasily. “If not for Jack vanishing, I’d say we should all have a get-together while we can or something…”

“We could still do that.”

“Yea, but Jack…”

…Crow suddenly had the nagging feeling that Carly had been more aware of Jack’s whereabouts than they thought, as a rather odd sort of gleam seemed to show up in Yuusei’s eyes at that moment. “Don’t worry- I’ll find a way to contact him.” O-Oiiii…

“Uhhhh…”

“Saturday should be fine for everyone, neh?”

Ahhh… “W-Well, you might want to double check with Aki, but…”

A nod. “Aah. In that case, we’ll see you Saturday.”

“EH-!?”

With that the screen blinked, the connection cut as Yuusei hung up. Staring in mildly shocked silence, Crow almost wondered just what had happened…

In the end…

’ _Oi! There going to be steak at this get together?_ ’ Hahahaha…

“You going to start generating 10,000 yen notes?”

The answer didn’t change Aiapaec’s fairly ridiculous demands to be frank, but he supposed it was worth the comment at least.


	45. Chapter 45

“Fuaaaaaaaaaa late..!” Damn it damn it damn it-

Water splashed up from the sides of the d-wheel, and Aiapaec hissed. ’ _Tch! Watch your control!_ ’

“Wh-” He glared at the screen, Aiapaec’s face leering up at him through the oversoul. Good points of Arc Cradle- increase in Furyoku. Bad points… …This. “You can’t even feel that..!”

’ _Do it anyways!’_

Hahhhh…

He’d gotten distracted, he’d admit. By the time the day of the ‘party’ came, he’d finally managed to get hold of a small bed- getting it into the building however had taken time.

…Not to mention creative use of an oversoul.

A simple flap of furyoku wings and he was up on the road, oversoul released in an instant and Aiapaec floating at top speed at his side. Mannnn…

He’d wasted half an hour getting that bed in, but he couldn’t leave it outside..!

Familiar roads came into view, along with the bright street-lights that came from the 'top’ areas of Neo Domino’s roads. The square came into view, and with it Poppotime…

“Hahhhhh…!” The bike came to a stop and he hopped off, pulling up the garage door. “Hoiii! Sorry I’m late..!” he called out, laughing a bit awkwardly.

“Mnnn! You better be..!” Rua responded from near the stairs. “We were waiting..!”

“Er, yea…”

“I’m joking..!~”

“EH-”

Before Crow could say a single thing Ruka laughed, gently pulling her brother aside. “We haven’t even started cooking the food yet…”

“Ah… Oh.”

“Neh, Crow!” Aki shouted from the side of the room, pulling his attention upward. “Can you help me set this table up?”

Ah- “Yea, sure!” As he came in he glanced at the bag, grinning. “Ahhh? Yakitori?”

Yuusei nodded from where he was pulling out a small grill, moving back outside to set it up. “Aah. It shouldn’t take too long to cook.”

’ _Better not take too long to cook…_ ’ Hahaha…

So said the one known for bloody sacrifices…

Yuusei was right though. By the time the table was unfolded and everything else they were eating set up there were a few skewers of food ready to eat, the twins readily digging into theirs as Crow grabbed his own.

And paused.

And looked to the side at the ghost…

“…Fine…”

“Mn?” Aki blinked. “What’s fi-” She stopped, staring as her friend almost casually pulled out what looked to be a memory tablet from his sleeve. “Ah…”

“EHHH? You were hiding that in your jacket..!?” Rua shouted, Ruka shaking her head.

“It’s been on his right arm for over a year Rua.”

“W- R-Really?!”

A nod. “Mn. That’s where Aiapaec 'sleeps’ isn’t it?”

…For a moment, there was only the sound of grease falling from the cooking meat onto a pan, Yuusei himself turning to look over with almost wide eyes. Even Crow was a little surprised… Though obviously for different reasons.

“Ah- You knew..?”

“Mn… Well, he would always seem to vanish into your arm, so-”

At the side, Aiapaec snarled. ’ _GET ON WITH IT ALREADY..!_ ’ HAHAHAHAH…

“Gh-” He grimaced, shaking his head as the shout rang through his ears. “Do that again and you’re not getting any!”

“Hehhhhh?? Ghosts can eat..?”

Crow said nothing in response to Rua for the moment, merely putting his food back on the paper plate he had and putting the memory tablet in front of it. He closed his eyes, clapped his hands together and…

’ _Heheeeeeee..! Your friend doesn’t cook too bad brat..!!_ ’

“Yea yea…” The tablet was stowed back in his sleeve, Crow grumbling. “Let me eat already, I’m starving..!”

“Eh…” While Crow in question busied himself with scarfing down the skewer of food, the others for the most part looked to each other in confusion. Just… What did they just watch…

“Ah- Crow?” Yuusei asked from at the grill. “Can you pass me that plate?”

Plate- He skimmed the table a moment before grabbing the plate in question, nodding as he brought it over. “Sure,” he answered, relatively glad to have the subject changed. Holding it a moment the skewers that were now cooked were placed upon it, and as he held it there he found himself staring off. “So… Entrance exams, yea?”

A nod. And from inside, Aki stared. “Eh- Yuusei is taking the entrance exams..?”

Another nod. “Aah. I have a little longer to study than you do I believe,” he added, the others turning to Aki at that.

“Eh- but the exams aren’t until April…” Rua muttered, his brows furrowing in thought.

Ruka guessed first. “Ah- Unless… Are you studying abroad Aki..!?”

A… Abroad…

He just about dropped the plate- Aki seemed shocked herself in fact, staring, and-

“…Our parents want us to live together again..!” Rua shouted abruptly, breaking the silence to leave a yet stranger one in its place. Not exactly something he’d have thought too similar to what they were about to talk about but… In the end Crow forced himself to get over his shock, grinning.

“Ah- Well, that’s great then isn’t it..! Families should stay together from the start right?”

“Mom and Dad want us to move with them in London,” Ruka explained further, the rather downtrodden expression her brother had making more sense. Oh. _That_ was why it was similar to 'studying abroad’.

“…Since… Since we turn 14 soon,” he explained, “They said we had a choice…”

“…But while we want to stay here, we want to be with our parents again as well…”

More silence came over the air, before being interrupted by the faint scent of smoke- Turning back to the skewers Yuusei swiftly turned them over, before placing a few more cooked ones on the plate for Crow to bring back to the table.

“Well…” How to put this… “…In the end…”

“…Yuusei,” Aki asked, again switching the subject. “…How did you know I was thinking of studying abroad..?”

“Your parents called.” Ah-

“Her parents did..??”

A nod. “They wanted some advice- medical school in another country… It’s different from the typical path.” Medical…

’ _Medicine..?_ ’ Aiapaec questioned aloud, Crow as well looking to Aki.

“You’re going to be a doctor then?”

“…I don’t know,” she admitted. “I haven’t decided yet… I…”

Quite suddenly she stiffened, the others watching as she looked up toward the stairs. Following her gaze, the five almost choked- “AH- JACK!!”

“…Carly..?” Aki noted, the woman in question giving a light wave as she came in behind the blond.

Yuusei, for his part, seemed remarkably underwhelmed by it all, merely coming in from the grill with a nod. “Aah. I had been wondering when you would get here.”

“Hn!” Jack merely looked over the table of food and snorted. “You started without me..!”

“AH- We were getting hungry..!” Crow countered, the others in the room shaking their heads. “Just where were you anyways..!?”

A card shot past his face, and as he looked to where it lodged itself into the ground Crow almost choked. “Self training,” Jack responded. “I won’t be here long. I’ve accepted an offer from the 'Ride Ace’ duel league,” he continued. Ah…

“Ride Ace…?” That… Wasn’t that the top league..?

“I’m not the only one who received an invitation either,” Jack finished, narrowing his eyes as he looked toward Aki and Yuusei.

The two duelists stared for a moment, Yuusei with an almost blank stare and Aki with a frown. “You…” Uh oh. “Everywhere I go, that’s ALL I HEAR..!” UH OH. “Who are you to assume what I want to do with my future..!?” AAAAAH-

“Ah…” Even Jack seemed caught off guard by that outburst. “I-”

“Jack.” The group turned as Yuusei spoke, rather swiftly putting a cork in the argument. “It’s been a while, neh?”

A nod. “It has.”

“How about we duel then?” he asked, a gleam appearing in his eyes.

The response was a grin. And-

“AHHHH-” Carly looked over to the grill behind them, coughing. “Isn’t there still something there..!?”

“AH-…”

Perhaps it would have been better to wait until they had eaten before deciding to duel.


	46. Chapter 46

The duel was a change from most any he’d seen to be honest- even in comparison to the days of Satellite. Driving over pits of molten metal, over the top of pipes, crane arms…

From the start, it seemed that Yuusei was making a point to the others that the future was not necessarily what it had seemed in the past. That it wasn’t as clear as one would think- Yuusei started with Stardust. Banished it and his opponent’s Red Daemon’s as well.

But when the dragons came back, Yuusei didn’t fight with his for long. No…

Yuusei won the duel with Junk Warrior.

The others it seemed, were more at ease with their decisions after that. The twins told their parents they would be coming to London after all. Aki went through with her application to the university in Germany, who would take her even with the gap of time between then and when her class would be graduating. Japan’s school year ended in April after all- not the summer.

Jack would continue on his intended way- joining ‘Ride Ace’. For some reason Carly wasn’t following- perhaps an expected outcome a year or so ago, but given the amount of time they’d spent together since then…

It was stranger the lack of complaint Carly had for that, but who knew what was going on there really.

He and the others lined up for one last 'race’…

…And as Aki went one way, Jack another, and the twins yet another…

He didn’t drive too far out, after passing Yuusei’s high-five. And while Yuusei briefly looked at his hand a moment ('he didn’t…’), he turned around and… 

“Oii! Yuusei!”

“Ah-”

Yuusei barely got a hand up in time to catch the one Crow tossed up in the air- as it was. “No one said _I_ was leaving, neh?”

A bit of a pause at that. But in the end…

He had to smile at that.


	47. Chapter 47

He couldn’t deny that Aiapaec had been right to ask if he felt like he was being watched.

As he drove back from seeing everyone off the sun began to slowly set, and the quieter the air became the more he found himself glancing back behind him with narrowed eyes.

There was no one following him, from what he could see. And yet as he drove over water even the fact that it would be impossible for one to follow him this far did not ease his doubts.

At the end of it, he came back to the entrance of the Old Momentum building and sighed. “Hahhh… I need to get more sleep,” he decided, shaking his head. “Too paranoid…”

“Crow Hogan?”

“HHAAAH-!”

NOT PARANOID- As the voice came over the air he jumped, turning to the source with wide eyes. Whoever this was, they were not from the area, that much was immediately clear- it was a somewhat elderly woman, dressed in what seemed to be simple, albeit decoratively beaded clothing.

…Needless to say… No one he knew. “…Who are you?” he asked, narrowing his eyes. “And how did you get here?” It was more or less impossible to come here by ACCIDENT… So…

The woman merely smiled. “I am Fliorov of the Patch,” she announced. “One of Ten Officiants sent to judge the strength of shaman for the coming battle of Shaman King- I’m surprised you didn’t know this already,” she added, a strange sort of gleam coming in her eye. “As partner to such an old God, I would have thought it clear.”

At this Crow immediately fixed a glare to the ghost in question, Aiapaec grinning. ’ _Hnhnhn… It’s better to surprise them isn’t it?’_

“AH- WITH WHAT!?”

“The Shaman Fights in Tokyo,” Fliorov answered. “A rare thing, happening in the same place twice in a row… But recent events apparently drew the comet near once again. And so we arrived here.” Ah…

“Shaman fights..?” Another look at Aiapaec and he frowned.

’ _For the right to the title ‘Shaman King’,_ ’ the spirit responded with a grin. 'Sounds like a good thing to try for doesn’t it..?’

Hahahah. “Tch! 'King’ is Jack’s area..!” he protested. “Why would I even want to go after something like that..?”

“Oh?” Fliorov asked. “So testing your mettle against other shamans isn’t  part of your plans..?” She chuckled, looking to Aiapaec. “And here I thought otherwise- you certainly seemed to be training enough…” Wha…

“That’s the reason-!?”

Aiapaec rolled his eyes, arms crossed. ’ _Come on brat… This is a fight that happens once every 500 years- it’s right here in Tokyo, and it’ll do a lot more than driving over the ocean will..! Why not give it a shot..?_ ’ he asked almost slyly. ’ _Could be fun, neh..?_ ’

“I don’t like your definition of fun…”

Still more amusement from the officiant… And she turned. “Well. I suppose the strength of a shaman isn’t dictated by that of the spirit after all…”

Ah- “What!?” Hey now… Aiapaec had all his power sapped ages ago, he couldn’t do a thing without-

…Well, he supposed that wasn’t the best argument but- The officiant turned, a gleam in her eyes. “You heard what I said. An officiant tests only those they feel have potential. Clearly you lack it.” LACK-

“Like hell..!”

“Then prove it.”

“Gh…” Well fine..! “Alright I will..! I’ll take you on!”

A grin. “Good! Don’t worry about holding back now… You only need to hit me once-” she warned. “And after all, I doubt you’ll manage anything more than that…” Ngh-!!!

“I’ll show you one hit…!” As Aiapaec grinned from beside him, Crow hopped back into his D-Wheel, firing it up with the oversoul and preparing to charge. “Let’s go!”

“Hmhmhmhmhm… Oh, I forgot to tell you,” she chuckled, watching the D-Wheel charge before seeming to vanish on the spot before Crow hit.

“GH- Wha-” He looked up, stiffening as the woman reappeared. With his will arms of furyoku shot up in attempt to snatch her but as she charged him herself he was forced to flee along the side of the cliff, furyoku holding him in place as he forced it to grab onto the walls.

“You have ten minutes to pass this test,” Fliorov warned, blood draining from Crow’s face. “You may want to try something a little more refined…”

“Refined..!?” The bike was driven up to the top of the rocks, coming to a flattened bit of road.  For a moment, he released the oversoul- he’d focused on transport when he worked with his technique on the bike… Not fighting. Maybe there were a few bits he could use but…

’ _Oiii, brat..! Time’s ticking…_ ’ Aiapaec warned, almost grinning behind the man.

“Tch…” He couldn’t fight from a bike though..! Not like this! Standing up for a moment he ground his teeth, glaring up at his opponent. “Mnnnn…”

“And what’s the matter?” the old woman chuckled. “Not so sure any more? You know the number of people waiting for approval to this competition could fill a mountain, boy… Don’t you wonder what that means for whosoever receives the winning title..?”

“…You say that like it’s more than a title,” he muttered suspiciously.

His answer from the officiant was nothing more than a grin, and narrowing his eyes he fell silent again. If he could just get up there and _poke_ her or something, then maybe…

…Wait.

His eyes flew to the deck-holder on his arm and without thinking he grabbed at Aiapaec. ’ _Oh? Finally got it?_ ’ the spirit laughed, Crow merely scowling.

“We’ll talk later..! For now…”

The spirit entered the device on his arm, and in an instant there was an explosion of furyoku. It was a nearly vain attempt to reign it in from the start- he was used to fueling a D-Wheel with this power, not condensing it into something he could use as a weapon. Even so…

“Tch. Dammit..!” What seemed to be a Jaguar’s head gripping the handle of a blade sat over his arm, the blade itself nearly as big as the D-Wheel. “That’s not smaller at all..!”

Even so… “Two minutes!” Fliorov announced, Crow grinding his teeth. Like hell he’d lose because of something like this… As the woman began to chuckle however he frowned, narrowing his eyes. “Perhaps I can settle this in one go though…” Eh…

“You think I’m that weak..!?”

More chuckling. “Ohhh not at all..! But with all the time you’ve wasted,” she decided, pulling a fist back as what seemed to be the talons of a condor appeared over it, “One shot is all you can afford… If you can hold your own against this, you pass!” the woman warned. “If not…”

“Tch…” That went without saying didn’t it. “Alright..!” Swinging the blade back he prepared to charge, shifting his feet to a steadier stance. “Bring it on then..!”

“VERY WELL!”

The woman charged- and so did he. Bolting toward her and kicking off from the edge of the cliff he swung the blade forward only to do something entirely unexpected- with the same technique he used to speed his D-Wheel up…

“FIRE!”

“MN!?”

The blade dissolved and shot forward in a form closer to a 'laser’ than a blade, and in her surprise the claws could only barely defend. By the combined force Crow was thrown back against the ground, oversoul cut short and the 'wing’ of the Black bird sending shooting pain through his back.

Fliorov in the meantime seemed to vanish, nothing but a splash telling him where she went.

…Not, however, where she was, as he discovered the moment he ran to the side in shock.

“My my…”

He turned, half jumping as the woman re-appeared before himself and Aiapaec. The spirit in question was grinning, looking to the woman almost expectantly. ’ _Well? He passed didn’t he!?_ ’

“So he did- and here I questioned your choices… As I recall, you were quite unwilling to partner with a shaman before…” Eh??

“O-Oii, what do you mean- I thought-”

’ _Things happened. Give the brat his token already!_ ’

Fliorov chuckled, but nonetheless threw something toward them. Catching it with relative ease he looked over the device he held in his hands and frowned. It looked like… Ah…

“…What is it.”

“Proof of your qualifications, and your 'com-link’ so to speak. That device will give you details you need pertaining to the tournament, as well as instructions on how to move forward. …Unless of course, you’d rather not…”

“…” Crow stared at the device in silence for a moment, frowning. Aiapaec’s eagerness was way too suspicious… The fact that this lady not only knew who he was, but was casual enough to speak to him as though he was just another ghost made him even more uncomfortable however. …And with that…

His fist closed around the device and he nodded, the gesture apparently all the confirmation Fliorov needed. “Very well… Good luck with your battles then,” she warned, turning to walk away. “You may just need it.”

“Tch… Way to make this worse…” he grumbled, before looking to Aiapaec. “And what was that even all about..! Since when did you meet anyone else?”

The spirit snorted. ’ _I was looking for a host not a 'master’!_ ’

Oh? “Ohhh? And what does that make me then?” he asked, grinning.

’ _gH-_ ’ The spirit growled, turning his back. ’ _A means to an end!_ ’ he insisted, hair seeming to stand on end.

“And that includes this 'shaman fight’ thing..!?”

’ _It proves your strength doesn’t it?_ ’

“What does it have to do with you though..!?” he countered, shouts echoing through the air. “How does any of that benefit you at all..!?” It didn’t, that was how. The test was for him- not for Aiapaec. The lady said it herself; the spirit didn’t affect his strength, which meant that the tournament was for shamans and nothing but. The spirits were more like tools and team-mates working to push them forward; they wouldn’t get the 'big prize’.

…And it seemed that when Aiapaec realized what thoughts were going through his partner’s mind, the spirit fell perhaps a little too silent. ’ _…The Crimson dragon has repealed his marks on his chosen,_ ’ he began after a long span of silence, tone almost flat and cold. ’ _…He hasn’t done that since the first time he even thought of having a human fight in his stead._ ’

He hadn’t..?

Then what was so different about…

It took a moment for Crow to realize the gravity of those words. But when he did, there was no need for him to speak- because between that and the 'concern’ Aiapaec had in him even taking part in this tournament…

…He had a bad feeling about just what exactly would be happening next.


	48. Chapter 48

The first match notice came in the middle of a visit to the kids, while he was playing a few ‘magic’ tricks for them. It wasn’t as though anyone could tell that there really _weren’t_ any wires or hidden methods to be honest, and who was going to call him out for using ghosts?

Besides- Aiapaec owed him. And while he’d never understand why, making the kids smile was one of the few things he didn’t complain quite so much about.

“So cool..!” He grinned as the youngest of the children laughed, the coin on his finger spinning quicker than the small paper pinwheel sitting outside. “How’d you do that Crow-niichan..!?”

He chuckled, cancelling the connection and snatching the coin in his fist all at once. “Magician’s don’t reveal their secrets neh..?” A more subtle movement and another trick was prepared- though this one didn’t need such advantages as an oversoul to be honest. “Tadaaa~”

“The coin’s gone..!!”

“Hwaaaah, Crow-niichan..!”

-breeeep breeeep- -breeeeeeeeeep-!

“Eh?”

The others blinked, high-pitched beeps slowly coming over the air without warning. “…An alarm..?”

’ _Crow! The bell!_ ’

…Bell?

-breeep breeeEEEEEP-

“AH-” The children stared as Crow abruptly searched through his jacket pocket for something, pulling out the small totem 'oracle bell’.

…Kids didn’t seem too impressed. “Ehh…? Crow-niichan, what’s that…?”

“It looks like one of those old v-pets I found…”

AHAHAHAHHA…

“Er-” Cough. “It’s not a V-Pet..!” Hahahaha… He looked it over, blinking. “Eh… I have a match…”

“A match?”

“Crow-niichan, are you dueling someone..??”

Quite suddenly there were children in his face, to say the least. “Ah… Well, something like that, I guess…”

“We were really hoping to see Crow-niichan duel last time..!” one of them told him. “But then all that stuff happened…”

“It sucks that you got burned up before the WRGP…” Ahaa…

He shrugged, laughing a little. “Ah- Well, it won’t be enough to keep me from trying again right..?!”

’ _And when are you planning on doing that…_ ’ Aiapaec grumbled, looking to the shaman with narrowed eyes.

He decided not to even subtly answer that. Instead he focused on the cheery remarks from the children that he’d definitely make it to the top 'right away’, and how they’d be cheering him on in the audience.

…One day, he’d make sure that happened.

And as he laughed along with them and listened to their stories of what they’d done while he was gone it never once occurred to him to click the 'next’ button on the Oracle Bell, the device eventually just sending itself back to a main menu of sorts.

Perhaps if he had, he wouldn’t have been so surprised by who he was fighting.


	49. Chapter 49

The location was to be a construction site, oddly enough- one of the places still un-repaired from the damage of the Arc Cradle, albeit the battle would take place long after the area was empty. From when he’d gotten the notice, he had a week to prepare.

…In other words, a week to get his damn furyoku to stop manifesting a giant tumi knife on his hand.

“Damn it..!” he shouted, waving his arm somewhat in the nicely empty test hall he’d decided to use for his training in recent events. “This is ridiculous..!”

Oversoul cancelled Aiapaec snorted, unable to keep a grin from his face. ’ _Well I don’t see what’s so bad about it..! You’ve got a shield don’t you?_ ’

…True, he could use that crested helm from the ‘jaguar head’ for a shield but…

“It’s the size of the Blackbird..!”

_'Really? You had to have gotten it down at least a foot…’_

“Like hell that matters..!” He scowled, before glancing at the clock to the side. 20 minutes to midnight… He should probably get going he supposed.

As it was. Lights in the room were flicked off and he made his way up, snatching his helmet off a desk on the way to the door.

“What kind of fight uses a knife the size of a d-wheel anyways..?” he muttered, frowning. “More a 'Jack’ weapon than anything…”

’ _Oh just deal with it for now- you don’t have time to refine it any further! You have a fight!_ ’

“Alright alright..!”

Helmet was put on, and the D-Wheel pulled out. Rather than waste his furyoku driving over water he took the long route up the cliff’s ramped walkway to leave however- probably take him longer, but…

The engine roared and he drove over the empty streets with ease, a small grin coming over his face as the pass his 'on paper’ job got him was scanned at the bridge gate.

Hehehe… He hadn’t actually used this thing until now, it saved a hell of a lot of time that…

The drive continued- passing brilliant street lights and onto darkened streets, cleared with rubble but nonetheless in clear disarray compared to the remainder of the city. It was in the lower areas of Neo Domino, the ones that sat beneath the 'Tops’ of the city. And yet because of its position the space above was open to the skies, a few small trees still managing to survive next to the tall office building under construction. “Hoh… Not a bad place…” he observed, taking his helmet off and stepping off from the bike. The D-Wheel was locked up and he walked into the center of the empty entrance space, looking around. He wasn’t likely that far off in his timing really… So if he was right, his opponent would show up any moment now.

…

…Any… …Mom-

“Ah- C-Crow..??”

He choked on his own breath, turning with wide eyes. Th-That was-

“AH- C-CARLY!?” WHAT WAS SHE EVEN- Eyes widened even further when he spotted the bell in her hand, his words more or less stuck in his throat for a moment. “Y…You’re a shaman..!?”

The woman blinked, but nodded in the end. “Ah- Yes! I qualified to participate in the tournament just a few weeks ago as well..!~” she continued, smiling.

Er… “Since… When did you even see…”

“Ah, well, I think sometime after I woke up from the Dark Signer’s defeat…” she began, looking at the ground a moment in thought. “My fortune fairies were there, and they were all telling me to hurry up and get better, and that everything would be okay…~” Uh…

’ _Fortune fairies..?’_

“Ah- I was wondering if it was the same with you,” Carly continued in an almost false sense of cheer, “But since Jack didn’t see the fortune fairies when he came in that first day, I didn’t want to cause anything without meaning to… Though it turns out he can see them now, so it’s alright! Hahaha!~”

Uhuh….

“But this is unexpected..!” Carly went on, her cards visible in her hands. “That we would both be competing..!~ I’m warning you, it’s not at all like when I’m dueling..! I won’t go easy at all..! Because if I can become 'Shaman Queen’, then Jack and I would both be 'royalty’, with him the King of Riding Duels, and myself the queen of-”

…He tuned her out around when she mentioned herself and Jack both being royalty to be honest, but by the end of it Aiapaec managed to snap her out of it.

’ _Are we here to fight or chat girly..!?_ ’

“AH! Right!” she exclaimed, holding her cards out. “Sorry!” Er…

“O-Okay…” Was he really going to fight carly…

He continued to stand for a moment, watching as Carly closed her eyes and fanned the cards out face down. “Hmhnnn… And the fortune is…”

-fwiP!-

“Watery!” She cheered. “A good draw..!”

“Uh…”

The other cards were pocketed, and as she looked over she frowned. “Mn. Crow? Aren’t you going to get ready to fight..?” Ah-

“I’m fine..!” he shouted out. “Trust me..!”

’ _…Is that a bird spirit…?_ ’ Eh? What was a bird spirit, he didn’t-

In the moment he turned to ask Aiapaec what he was even talking about he found himself slammed back against the ground, giving a choked shout in surprise. “ACGH-” In an instinctual retaliation his oversoul was formed- less flaming than before thankfully, so not as exhausting but… “What the…”

Over Carly’s arm seemed to be the face of a bird of sorts, as Aiapaec had noted before, with almost watery wings stretching out from it. Clamped in its long beak was the handle of some sort of weapon, perhaps a staff, the device covering her card hand with ease. And as he stared, Carly spoke-

“I told you..! I’m not going to go easy..!” AH-

She was telling him that..!?

…With good reason, it seemed. The beak was held forward and as it swung down water seemed to spout from it, forcing Crow to flee. The water froze whatever it touched, streaking along into a run of spikes, and he found himself soon using his blade-arm as leverage in the nearby building’s walls to avoid it and jump to the door-way’s roof. “S-Shit… What kind of oversoul is that..!?”

“If you want, I could explain later?” As Carly said this another blast of water came toward him, and in the time it took to dodge he hurriedly found himself throwing up a shield against the more physical attack in the form of her oversoul’s 'beak’.

“GH-” Pushing away he found himself somewhat out of breath, water surging toward him without pause. “Dammit… Where is this coming from..!?!”

If Aiapaec had been able to speak, he’d likely say something along the lines of 'well, there’s an open pipeline right there…’. As it were. He turned the moment the water began to slow, his opponent running out of steam herself.

This would be his chance…

He charged, and-

“AH- T-TIDAL WAVE..!” Carly shouted quite abruptly, Crow skidding to a stop as the oversoul was raised in tune with a suddenly materializing wall of water.

“You have got to be kidding-”

-frOOOOSSSSHHHH-

“FUCK!” Back up the building he went, and as the water gathered below he swallowed. Alright then… If that was how she was playing… 

He kicked off the wall, and brought his blade down. And as the attack glowed and charged into an enormous beam Carly’s oversoul in question opened, revealing itself to not be a sword in a beak but rather an umbrella- the water coalesced about the poor shield, strengthening it, hardening it into ice, and…

-crk…. CRSKH!-

“AH-!”

The force of the blast was too much in the end, and they were both thrown back. It was Carly’s oversoul which flickered out however- He himself managed to save himself by throwing the shield behind him at the last moment. “NGH…” That… Really…

“Ow ow ow…” Carly slowly stood, shaking somewhat as 'Watery’ was joined by five others. “Ow…”

“Sfff…” Crow rubbed his aching shoulder, “Ow ow ow… Ow…”

Beeping met the air- and for a few moments, it was quite ignored. In the end however, Carly wound up adjusting her glasses, pulling it from under her shirt and- “AAH- I lost…”

“Heh.”

’ _The first qualifying match is yours, didn’t you hear what she said..?!_ ’

…W-Well, to tell the truth…

…His ears were kinda full of water…

“Hahaha… I guess I need to win the next two no matter what now…”

He blinked, turning from where he was trying to clear his ears out.“Oh?”

“Eh- You didn’t know..?” As Crow stared, she continued. “You have to win two out of three matches to move on…”

Two out of three…

“Mnn… So that’s one down then…”

A nod. “It was a good fight..!~ I wonder if it would have gone better or worse with a different draw, mnn…” …Should he ask?

The spirits around her seemed to chirp, and Crow frowned. “Oi, what are those anyways..?”

“…The fortune fairies..?”

“They sound more like birds…”

“Really..?” Carly blinked. “But they sound normal to me…”

…In the end, the only thing that broke the silence on that one was the sirens that soon came over the air to herald the arrival of security.

Who would find, quite fortunately, nothing more than a 'vandalized’ building and a soaked parking lot by the time they arrived.


	50. Chapter 50

The unfortunate side effect of leaving his battle half drowned (or at least simply wet), was that he quickly found himself with the core temperature of an ice-cube threatening to appear the moment the adrenaline had worn off from his flight away from the scene.

Given how long it would take him to drive home, he thus took the better of two options- which was why while Crow was very much out like a light a few hours later on Yuusei’s couch, Yuusei himself…

…Had been woken up by a loud beeping downstairs. “Mng…” It was with dull surprise that he found the source to be a certain someone on the couch, and with a little more surprise that he realized he would probably have to find some way to drain the cushions of water once Crow was gone.

Even so, he had to smile and shake his head at that- Crow, in the end, was still Crow. Though this beeping…

It seemed to come from his jacket pocket, which was thankfully not on his person at the moment- most likely because it was just as wet, and dripping from the back of one of the chairs. As it were.

He pulled it out and winced somewhat at the louder sound it now emitted, the man behind him shuffling in his sleep. A tap of one of the hanging ‘claws’ and it stopped- and at the same time there was a light groan from the couch, Crow likely waking up.

Exactly what was it though he wondered, watching a message slowly stream by before tapping the claw again to see the rest. It looked… Almost like a pager, to be honest, but those hadn’t been in use for centuries…! (he only knew because he’d found one in the trash and eventually uncovered the information on it out of curiosity in fact.)

So then…

“… 'Next Match’… Fortune Duel Arena… 2 AM?” Who would fight at-

He blinked.

“…Sly..?”

…It couldn’t be _that_ Sly right? That boy that went to school with Rua and Ruka?

He put the device on the table, shaking his head. The date on the device wasn’t going to be for another three weeks at least… He could ask in the morning.

For now, seeing how it was 2AM now as well, he was going back to sleep.


	51. Chapter 51

His opponent had not been what he expected.

Similar to Carly’s match, he’d admittedly been taking it somewhat lightly. When he woke up in the morning Yuusei was holding the oracle bell in his face- asking what he was supposed to be fighting in…

He almost wondered what Yuusei had assumed, but then he remembered that Yuusei had probably legitimately waited to ask instead- which was pretty cool but…

’ _Oh like he’ll get it…’_

A glare toward the ghost, and he rubbed the back of his head. “Ahhh… Recently, a tournament for shamans…”

“Shamans?”

“Eh- Yea. Apparently they have one.”

’ _Of course they have one, how else would civilization progress…._ ’ AH-

“What was that..!?”

To their surprise, Yuusei as well turned, frowning. “…What do you mean by that- that without it, civilization wouldn’t move forward..?”

Crow and Aiapaec both turned, blinking. “Eh- Y… You can see…”

_‘Since when in the hell-_ ’

Yuusei’s face was blank enough that one could have wondered if he’d even heard the two. “…I have been able to see him since returning from the Arc Cradle.”

“T-THAT LONG!?”

’ _You’ve got one hellllll of a poker-face dragon-boy..!’_

Yuusei had merely stared in response to that, and soon after expressed some curiosity in the shaman fights again, which led Crow to explain.

And more importantly, for Aiapaec to explain- supposedly, whoever won the title of Shaman King (or Queen, Crow had idly muttered, which resulted in an entirely new tangent of conversation pondering how Carly of all people was a shaman herself.) would become the only one powerful enough to see, and more importantly channel, the 'Great Spirit’.

In other words, _God._

’ _Numerous familiars of mine have received this title,_ ’ he chuckled. ’ _They were the first in history, each dictating fairly impressive shows of evolution. By the end of it,_ ’ he continued with a grin, ’ _One of them moronically eradicated all evidence of your earliest ancestors in fact…  What remained would become mankind as you know it, and any proof otherwise has been hidden quite well, I can assure you of that…_ ’ Uh…

“…Are you saying we had dinosaur shamans…”

The ghost snorted. ’ _PLEASE, nothing so ridiculous… Back then any gods that existed merely warred over the title, typically giving it up once they’d lost it._ ’ He chuckled. ’ _I still remember Tlaloc’s 'rain sun’, hnhnhnhnhn… OH that was an interesting time.._.’

As the others stared, he continued. ’ _Once the world was old enough, it created its own spirit- but unlike those of the gods, who developed character depending on their role or origin, the 'Great Spirit’ had no will of its own, not in the same sense at least. Coincidentally, it would be around now that man began to really 'walk upright’ you might say… And from that, shamans began to appear. One of them would be powerful enough to channel the essence of the Great Spirit- the first 'voice of god’ you could say. This person would be replaced every 500 years; and depending on who took control, the world could enter a period of great peace… Or…_ ’ He grinned almost maliciously. ’ _Incredible strife…’_

While Crow found himself more or less distracted by the idea of someone even remotely similar to Aiapaec in the position of 'God’, Yuusei seemed to narrow his eyes, focusing more on the point. “So then whoever wins becomes, essentially, 'King of the World’.”

’ _In the loosest sense- a God is nothing to a non-believer after all… And the Shaman King is still human._ ’

“Mn.”

Human… With human desires. And even if Shamans weren’t ever 'malicious’ in intent, 'Houra-ku’ had already proven that there were those whose will was not meant for that of the world.

Which was perhaps why Yuusei came to watch the match, walking to the empty arena with Crow and taking a seat in one of the many thousands of seats there.

The fight would not be as expected, however. When Crow found a boy of approximately Rua and Ruka’s age step forward, he found himself questioning the match-up in fact. But as the oversoul appeared over his staff in the form of a spear, and as lightning came into the weapon from above, he quickly realized that Sly’s warning that he had 'no business in this tournament’ was not entirely unfounded, if one assumed he had been speaking of how he would win.

The fact was, he did.

His shield would crack against the force of a sparking spear, his tumi-blade unable to come anywhere near the boy. And as the thundering spirit Tenjin chargeed Sly’s spear completely, Crow would stake everything in one last blow…

Which Sly cut through in an instant, sending his opponent crashing against the ground and dispelling the oversoul. His body lay battered and broken, eyes closed, blood slowly trickling down the corners of his mouth…

And as Yuusei bolted over the side of the stadium’s audience seating, trying to come to where Crow was, Sly prepared _another_ blow.

“STOP!” he shouted up, the sparks increasing. “YOU WON!”

The bolts continued to charge-

And someone else stepped in. “The spectator is correct!” a rather weedy looking young man warned, appearing in a flash between Sly and the others. “The match is yours- as this is your second win, you automatically qualify for the next round!”

The sparks faded, the oversoul dispersed. And with little more than a nod, the boy left. “Good.”

That…

The man turned- and looking toward Crow said few words himself. “I recomend medical action,” he stated calmly. “Rest assured- his final match will not come until he has recovered…”

Before Yuusei could even say a word the man had vanished.

And in the aftermath, he was left to carry his motionless friend as far from the arena as possible before calling for the ambulance.


	52. Chapter 52

“Nggh…” He awoke to numbing pain, the sort that brings one to wonder if their body has fallen asleep somehow. He was unable to move without sending a far sharper, stinging pain through his body however, and it was this fact which quickly led him to give up on leaving the bed he was in.

A hospital bed, of course. It figured. Staring at the ceiling he scowled, despite the slight sting of pain that went through his face with the motion. He could guess fairly easy what happened in his second match.

’ _Oh good, you’re awake…_ ’

“Mn..?” Eyes turned to look to the side, and for a moment he stared. “Ah- A-Aiapaec…” And… “Carly?!”

The woman waved semi-nervously, laughing quietly. “Aha… Yuusei should be back soon too…” she admitted, a series of small bird-like pixies floating around her shoulder. “Pwaaaaaa… You were really out for a bit there…”

Mn…

He remained silent at that, looking back to the ceiling. “Right…”

_‘You’ve only got one more shot at this,_ ’ Aiapaec warned. ’ _Next match, it’s do or die!_ ’

“Tch…” Potentially literally too, what fun… “Great…”

…He was fucked, wasn’t he.

“Mn… You know, I’ve won my other two qualifiers…”

AH- “Ah- Y-You’ve already-”

’ _Hmmm..?_ ’

Carly’s smile seemed to twitch, and as she broke into another nervous laugh she smiled. “Er- Y-Yes… Well, I was thinking that if you wanted, maybe I could help train?”

…Carly, help- He mentally shook himself. He really needed to get over that shock… Carly won both battles following him. She’d nearly won against him even- and she’d probably been training herself.

So… He nodded, biting back a hiss at the pain it resulted in. “Yea- sounds like a plan! …Er… After I’m able to move again…”

A series of chirrups from the bird-spirits at this, and he gave a short cry of pain when instinct had him duck away from their sudden dive bomb around him.

“AHCK-”

“E-Ehhh!!” The shamaness hurriedly began clearing them away, eyes wide. “S-Stop! Stop!”

’ _Hmm… Well that’s an interesting problem…_ ’

“Gh- What is?” The fact that Carly’s 'fairies’ suddenly wanted his blood??

Carly coughed, the spirits in question gathered back in the cards in her arms. “Um… They don’t want to train with you…”

’ _Awfully 'high-and-mighty’ for a set of hummingbirds…’_

A series of angry chitters in response, and Crow frowned. “Oi, and you’re one to talk..?” Really… As it were, not good. “Why would they say that anyways? They still sore about losing?”

She shook her head. “Er… More that they don’t think you’re strong enough… Sorry!” she hurriedly cried at that, “It’s not what I think..!” Carly explained. “…But so much of my oversoul relies on if they’re willing…”

Aiapaec snorted, chuckling under his breath. ’ _Hn! All oversouls depend on that, it’s not so simple as 'do this or else’…_ ’ He grinned quite darkly, eyes just about glowing with some form of flame. ’ _After all, there’s hardly anything you can threaten a spirit with…_ ’

As Carly shifted rather uncomfortably at this, Crow merely stared back up at the ceiling. “Hnnnn…” Great. So he couldn’t do anything… “…Alright Carly…”

“S-Sorry..!”

“…Mn. See you later?” He sighed. “And where’s Yuusei, I thought you said…”

“Ah-” She lit up, dropping the spirits and pocketing her cards. “I’ll look for him..!”

A nod. And as the woman left, Crow was again silent for a moment. Whatever Carly had done to train, it was probably at the request of her partners. Or even another shaman, anyone really.

If he was going to move forward…

As Aiapaec looked down, Crow spoke. “…What do I need to do to get stronger?”

If he had seen the grin on Aiapaec’s face, he might have reconsidered this idea.


	53. Chapter 53

The Momentum spinning around at the depths of the building was nothing new to him. He’d caught brief glimpses through tinted windows when he went through the lower levels quite a lot to be honest, and while he hadn’t expected the glass there to be intact it apparently _was._

…Just that these particular windows were in the outer ring of the building, the inner ones having been completely obliterated. The only reason these windows were still likely good was probably their two-way nature. They were meant to dim the lights, meant to make it difficult to see through- a fortunate security for any who traveled through later on he supposed.

Here however, there was no glass. What was standing between himself and complete blindness was a sheet of fabric he’d set over his eyes.

And as he gripped the railing of the stairs that led further _down_ into the revealed momentum light, he swallowed.

’ _You need to die,_ ’ Aiapaec had told him bluntly, when he’d asked what needed to be done. ’ _Though you can see how that in itself would be counter-productive; so you need to simply **feel** like you’ve died. And lucky for you, we live right next to the **perfect** tool for that…._ ’

Walk into the Momentum. Keep walking. Come out the other end. Sounded simple when he was stuck in a hospital and more or less numbed down by painkillers…

Now that he was here, and able to feel the hair-raising ‘warm-chill’ that Momentum brought- the cold yet warm sensation the energy left…

Aiapaec wasn’t coming with him. However, looking at this another way, Aiapaec didn’t actually want him _dead._ It was, as he said 'counterproductive’. It wasn’t like the matter of the tournament where his hidden motive wasn’t so much hidden as 'I’d rather have someone I know in that position than someone with the Crimson Dragon up their sleeve’, which for the time being, was what they were assuming had happened.

In this case however, he knew Aiapaec wanted at least one thing- him, alive.

Which meant that walking through this would, apparently, not kill him.

…Presumably.

The energies of the realms between spirit and material misted up from below, and with a deep breath and his hand on the railing beside him, he began to walk…

Letting his senses slowly dissolve, as the shadow of death drew as near as would be allowed…


	54. Chapter 54

As he walked, his sight was taken further than it already had been. What had been covered in black by the gravity that held his eyes closed became a heat-less void, empty and unfeeling.

As he walked, there were no sounds. The tapping of his feet faded soon after his sight, echoing into nothingness until finally his mind abandoned it altogether.

He could not taste what was in the air, nor even the roof of his own mouth. His ability to speak would be useless- there would be none to hear, and in the end even his internal voice faded, as though to focus on merely compelling him forward.

He felt nothing. His hand no longer touched the metal bar of a railing, and he felt nothing, merely walking. As though compelled by some other force, as though he himself were merely a puppet, pulled along by strings.

Time lost its meaning. Without a way to read it after all, or even a way to feel it, time mind as well not have existed. And yet no thoughts came to mind…

He merely walked.


	55. Chapter 55

To say they both agreed that this was a horrible idea on Crow’s part would be to put it quite lightly. Technically of course, it was Aiapaec’s plan to start but the fact remained.

…He’d obviously gone in willingly.

Which was why, for about a week’s time, Yuusei found himself wandering Crow’s home, ‘renovated’ (in the loosest sense, mind) and not, looking over what was in such disrepair that it prompted him to pause and fix something.

Carly as well wound up dropping by closer to the end of the week herself, apparently brought by Aiapaec as well. Why the ghost was gathering people in Crow’s home, who knew- he had his suspicions.

Particularly when, seven days after he’d gone in, the spirit flew off at top speed to stand at the second door with access to the old momentum reactor base. After some moments of silence, the doors were opened- both Carly and Yuusei shading their eyes lest they look directly into what light shone from below. And from the light…

He walked with stumbling, shuffled steps, arms hanging limp at his side. His headband and makeshift blindfold had long since fallen to hang around his neck, and his head was bowed, his eyes shut.

And then…

Crow froze, tilting his head somewhat before giving a weak, rasping snort. “Huh…” With some obvious strain he lifted his head, as though only just realizing then that he’d been slumped over in fatigue. “…Didn’t expect to see anyone…”

“AH-” Carly for her part was… Shocked. And as Aiapaec watched the storm brew from the side in amusement, the woman stammered. “Y-You’re able to say things like that after being in _there_..!?”

“…Should I not..?”

As Yuusei shut the doors, Carly continued her protests. “You’ve been in there for a week..!! You didn’t have food, or water, or, or…”

“I’m okay..?”

“Crow.” He turned, looking at Yuusei. “…Regardless of how you feel, it wasn’t a wise idea.”

“It still worked..?”

“HwaaaaaAAAHHH! What were you even doing in-” She paused, her fae floating around  and chittering cheerfully. “…Th- That’s possible..!?”

Quite clearly no one had a clue what they were talking about, but that was beside the point. After a bit of pained laughter from Crow, the subject moved onward.

“…Your stove works now.”

“EHH!?”

He might have been too fatigued to cook that evening but even so it was a good end to a 'training session’ in his opinion, given that Yuusei had also decided to put the stove to use.


	56. Chapter 56

“…I don’t remember when my fight is…”

“It’s tomorrow.”

“…Oh.”

Yuusei needless to say took it upon himself to make sure Crow’s training didn’t get too ridiculous, given what had happened with the Old Momentum reactor. Crow himself was fairly certain that he’d managed to surprise Yuusei more times during the collective length of his training since then than he had during their entire life really, but he didn’t exactly have a way to check.

As it was, the closer they got to the fight the more bizarrely uneasy Crow seemed to become, though as Yuusei would find out himself that was probably because Crow had a habit of getting up in the middle of the night to train _again_.

Which brought conversations of a particularly interesting sort by the time he stopped. “…Where was it again…” he asked somewhat blearily, half collapsed over the table as he stared as his cup ramen.

Yuusei took potentially two seconds of silence, before flipping the page of the text book he was going through. “…Go to sleep, Crow.”

“….Eh….” It was a small miracle that he got a full night’s worth before his fight in the end- all in all however, it was likely for the best.


	57. Chapter 57

The match he was due to have against someone named ‘niko’ as the katakana had read, would be in an enormous field. A vast, empty expanse of space…

…Otherwise known as another sports dome. “How do they even afford all the damage costs..?” he found himself wondering, stepping over the green of the field and shaking his head.

“Most likely, it ties in with the fact that the officiants seem to peddle cheap goods during the day.”

“AH- Really?”

Yuusei nodded. “Ushio threatened to confiscate the goods of one in particular when they attempted to make sales in front of Poppo-Time.”

Ahahahha…

Oiii…

Aiapaec snorted, arms crossed as they waited for the opponent. ’ _Hn! Not surprising… The patch as a whole is a poor people; what funds they have tend to go almost entirely toward the care of the less fortunate shaman who participate in the tournament. It’s been that way for millennia._ ’

“Since when did you know…”

’ _Please! You don’t think I saw a few matches? Nothing’s changed,_ ’ he retorted. _'It’ll be just as bloody as all the others._ ’

“AH- What the hell do you mean by-”

“C-Crow-san..!?”

A shock ran down his spine and with a jolt Crow turned to find himself frozen in shock yet again. “Y- NICO!?”

“…You know this one as well..?” Yuusei asked, turning a moment as the girl before them swallowed.

“Er… Well…” He swallowed, looking away in the corner of his eyes. “About that…”

’ _You have death’s eyes,_ ’ a calm voice echoed through the air, Crow grimacing and Yuusei merely stiffening in shock. _'I didn’t expect that. Though the glasses are new as well…_ ’

It was clear that Yuusei thought he was hallucinating. Heck- even Crow was taken aback when the source of the voice actually appeared, pale white skin replaced with pitch black and markings eerily similar to that of the earth-bound god’s covering what was visible. His eyes of course were still there, albeit the same chilling shade of blue; and his clothing…

Robes..? Aiapaec gave a whistle. The others, however, merely stared. “…Kiryu…” Yuusei whispered, the spirit in question frowning.

’ _…Crow didn’t tell you about Houra-ku, did he,_ ’ he asked coolly, turning to look toward the shaman in question.

As both turned on him he swallowed, flinching and turning away. “I-! … I didn’t want to bring up the fact that you were dead..!” he protested, both his friends and the others staring. “How was I supposed to explain..?! 'Kiryu’s dead, but it’s okay, he’s a mountain god’?” There was silence. And he continued. “…Yuusei… You and Jack couldn’t see ghosts when I went to Hokkaido as it was..! This was ages ago, before I even started using 'oversoul’..! I thought… …If you and Jack had accepted he was gone…”

There was more silence, but Crow had nothing more to say. The others themselves were rendered silent in fact- with Yuusei and Kiryu staring for a moment, before looking back.

’ _I’m here now, aren’t I?_ ’ As Crow looked up, frowning in what seemed to be confusion, he continued. ’ _And Yuusei knows now._ ’

“Aah,” he replied in agreement, before blinking and turning back to Kiryu with a slight frown. “…Though… …Mountain God..?”

It was Nico who explained, clutching her side bag and raising a hand up to draw some attention toward herself. “Ah! Kiryu-san is the spirit of Manzouku Mountain!” she explained with a beaming smile. “He’s very powerful, and recently we even managed to raise the funds to build a small shrine!”

“AH- Y-You have a shrine..?” What.

Kiryu’s response was to stare quite blankly back at Crow and give the best answer one could possibly have to that question.

’ _Yes_.’

It was a wonder they started their battle at all, the time they spent chatting away after that…


	58. Chapter 58

Kiryu’s desire to protect his partner in these fights was more than obvious as the battle (finally) began. It took both the observing officiants giving a shout for them to hurry it up before they got started mind, but in the end it at least _did_.

Nico however, did not once directly fight against her opponent as it seemed. Indeed, she used a medium for an oversoul. Quite wonderfully so in fact. Just not as a weapon. One would think this would make things _easy_ …

However as a frankly _enormous_ form of Kiryu’s being stood before him in preparation to attack, he found himself wondering how the hell he was supposed to counter regardless.

He couldn’t really dodge- if Kiryu struck the ground shockwaves followed, and those did just as much if not more damage if he was stupid enough to be on the ground at the time.

He couldn’t really strike back either- a furyoku blast would just exhaust him, and the blade did little against the solid form of the oversoul ‘Manzoku-Apu’. It was likely Nico had poured all of her energy into it in fact; so densely compressed was the oversoul that she might as well have been a puppeteer working with a ten story mannequin made of steel.

…Which was probably why he finally decided to try it himself he supposed. He’d done it before after all- albeit while Aiapaec was in control, and using Kiryu himself.

So then, it couldn’t be too difficult.. Right?

“Hahhhhhh…!” As Kiryu’s fist came charging toward him he focused all his energies into the duel disk, holding it forward with stiff determination. The oversoul rose, and with it the form of the beast that was Aiapaec; and Kiryu’s fist was blocked by a crowd of bird-headed serpents from the demon’s back. “Alright..! Time for the real fight..!”

His opponent- the spirit half at least- seemed to smirk in anticipation at that. Aiapaec merely grinned.

This was more or less a battle of spirits, with the shaman nothing more than batteries to bring them into reality. It was a style of battle Crow found himself quite immediately detesting; he could feel is energy draining from the hold of the enormous oversoul, and when the spirits 'bled’ it was their energies evaporating from the oversoul itself. They could not fight forever- but all the same, so long as both shaman held their forms for them, they would continue anyways.

A blade was swung and it was met with stone, a battle of warrior and earth. Serpents caught the wrists of their opponent and in retaliation the ground itself rose up in shards of rock to sever them entirely. This battle could not last forever.

Unarmed as Aiapaec now was, it was thus clear that whoever made the last successful blow would win.

’ _Hehehe… HEHEHEHAHAHA! This is the most fun I’ve had in mILLENNIA..!’_  the god roared, cracking his knuckles and charging.

Kiryu smirked. “ ** _Coming from a warrior god..? Quite the compliment..! To think I already found this battle more than satisfying..!_** ” He himself brought his fist back and ran toward the opposing spirit, eyes wide.

Forces collided and a 'resonance’ brought steady tones of power over the air, the clashing thoughts and souls battling within an instant of contact. Their fists shook but did not move from the other, pushing ever strongly and refusing to budge.

And at last the pressure became too great- in a great and resounding roar the power of the two exploded back, throwing both shaman across the opposite ends of the field. Both landed with an audible 'thump’, oversoul shrinking back in an instant to loosely cover their chosen medium. And both, eyes drawn toward their medium, did not pay mind to the other as the oversouls faded out completely…

Crow sighed, standing. “Heh…” He rubbed his head, grinning. “Well what do you know..! Looks like you and Nico beat us, Kiryu. …I guess I’m leaving this tournament to you then…”

Before Kiryu could answer, Nico looked from her rock with wide eyes. “Eh… B-But… My oversoul faded too..!!”

…What. “AH- Y-Yours as well-”

“ _ **Quite unfortunately…**_ ”

’ _You all **tied**!_ ’ Aiapaec finished with a grumble.

“Tie!?”

“W-What do we do..!?” Nico shouted in protest. “A tie isn’t allowed is it?!”

“Normally no,” another voice called out, the others turning as a Patch Officiant walked over with Yuusei following. “However due to recent battles, some of our potential preliminary participants have become unable to move on…”

…For some reason, he didn’t feel relieved to hear that.

Nonetheless. “There are still some matches remaining, true… But with the match-ups as they are, it would be impossible to meet the full number again. Unless, of course… There were a tie. One win, one loss,” the somewhat aged man explained. “And now, a tie; you both, therefore, qualify for the next round.”

“ _ **Ah…**_ ”

“T-That’s…”

“YeeeeEEEESSSSS!” Crow cheered, throwing a fist in the air. “YES!”

“ ** _It would seem we’ll be seeing each other more often in these fights,_** ” Kiryu chuckled, looking toward Yuusei. “ _ **Perhaps we could even get a reunion out of it…**_ ”

Yuusei blinked, before nodding. “If I can contact Jack…” He smiled. “Aah. I’ll find him.”

“Ahh… For now…” Nico turned, only to find the Patch Officiant quite gone.

’ _Keh! Typical Patch- as soon as they’ve said their bit they’re gone…_ ’

“Mnnn…”

“Bah! We don’t need a judge around now..! We know we’re in right? They’ll probably tell us what we need to know later! For now,” he continued with a wide grin, “Let’s celebrate..!”

“Ah- celebrate?” Nico repeated almost blankly.

It did not take long for Crow to realize that the look Kiryu had when he started explaining meant 'just because YOU don’t care about certain laws’, so the idea of getting Yuusei to buy something to drink was quickly tossed out the window.

When he thought about it though, Yuusei probably wouldn’t have bought it either, even if Crow _had_ planned to get something else for the under-aged guest regardless.


	59. Chapter 59

“Krnnnnn..~”

“Hehhhh… So this is what they look like…”

Crow still couldn’t entirely pronounce ‘Koro-pok-kuru’ properly, but it as the thought that mattered to be honest. Celebrations had brought Nico’s brother along with however, and as he had found himself wondering near the start of the battle, West as well had shamanic abilities himself. Being _younger_ however…

Well, besides the fact that Kiryu did the fighting himself as it _was_ , West obviously wouldn’t be participating. Even so. As Yuusei stared almost owlishly at the tiny, half-foot tall 'doll’ that was 'Pokun’ the spirit quite curiously floated from shelf to shelf in the room, West for his part merely smiling.

“Mn! Pokun was allowed to come with us in hopes of being the eyes of his people at the tournament.”

“ ** _He won’t be present during the preliminary journey however,_** ” Kiryu warned, West looking almost sheepish about the fact. “ ** _The preliminary rounds take place in the USA- they aren’t cemented to any single path._** ”

“Oh- You mean the entire round is more of a hike..?” Crow asked, frowning somewhat incredulously at the fact.

“Mn… Not quite…”

’ _It wouldn’t be 'Shaman Fights Tokyo’ if it wasn’t in Tokyo..!_ ’ Aiapaec retorted, taking his eyes from the still exploring Pokun. _'The pilgrimage might as well be further qualifications..!’_

As Crow raised an eyebrow at that Yuusei nodded. “Aah. So then the tournament itself is still held here…”

“ _ **More or less.**_ ”

“Oi oi… How do you even know all this,” he questioned almost angrily. “I get this guy,” he added, jabbing a thumb toward Aiapaec. “He doesn’t say a thing unless he feels it suits him..! But when did you…”

It was Nico who answered that- With a rather large smile, she gestured toward her brother. “Ah- Well you see, soon after you left the mountain, we thought it would be best to cleanse it…”

“Because there were so many ghosts inside..! After Kiryu-san leveled the village, they stopped hiding, and even though they didn’t want to stay around they couldn’t leave!”

“But of course, none of us really knew how to do that either…”

The children looked toward Pokun, and Kiryu continued the tale. “ _ **…At which point, the Koro-pok-kuru appeared.**_ ”

“They’d been hiding..!” West explained. “Because they were afraid of what was happening around the mountain!”

“Supposedly, the holes in the mountain had dug deep enough to tap into the essences of the Great Spirit itself…” Nico added worriedly. “Which meant that whatever resided there could be in great danger if proper steps weren’t taken… But since the koro-pok-kuru couldn’t do it on their own, they fled for safety instead.”

“Ah! But after everyone was gone, they showed themselves! And I could hear what they were saying, so they were able to help Nico and Kiryu perform a cleansing on the mountain, along with tell us about a lot of other things, such as the coming tournament..!”

…Yea they kept saying that word but…

“Just what is a 'cleansing’?” Yuusei asked, one eye on the spirit who was now toddling beneath various appliances and giving the occasional cheery sound of interest.

“Basically it’s supposed to put all the spirits in the mountain to rest, by guiding them to the afterlife.”

“Since we were so close to the essence of those realms, the Koro-puk-guru were able to help guide them rather easily; though apparently,” Nico added, “We overshot the amount of power needed for the ceremony…”

…Oh?

Kiryu looked oddly close-lipped about this, and as West laughed the reason why became rather clear. “HahAHHA! Kiryu-san managed to cleanse almost every lingering ghost from Manzoku to Neo Domino..!”

“AH- Seriously..!?!”

A chuckle from Aiapaec. ’ _WELL, that certainly explains the lack of action after the Arc Cradle…_ ’

A nod from Yuusei. “…I suppose everyone who died would have gone to Hokkaido then…”

“Er… S-Something like that,” Nico laughed. “It was more that they either ascended on the spot or became drawn to the ceremony location…”

Kiryu nodded. “ _ **A 'cleansing’ is just that. It sends the dead who are 'trapped’ in the living world onto the afterlife. Anything unwilling for good or bad reasons is drawn closer to the ceremony, eventually calming as they draw near.**_ ”

“We didn’t see any actually show up though,” West laughed. “Kiryu-san’s really strong after all..! Even if a spirit reached Hokkaido, they moved on before coming anywhere near our mountain!”

…Go Kiryu..? While Crow merely stared in almost incredulous confusion, Yuusei looked back toward Pokun. “Aah. I see. So then after, the koropokkuru would have been able to return, wouldn’t they.”

“Mostly…”

“Koropokkuru live under fugi plants,” Nico explained. “We’re trying to grow a plot of them in the area to give them more homes.”

“ _ **When I explained to them that fugi was present in other places,**_ ” Kiryu continued almost quietly, “ _ **They seemed to ponder a divide among themselves…**_ ”

West nodded quite furiously at this. “Fugi has been growing in Canada for a long time too after all..! So they could have plenty of places to stay there..!”

“Oh- There not enough for them in Hokkaido..?”

Some nods. “ _ **Right. The national reserves there help, but otherwise it’s very difficult for them.**_ ”

“So then, Pokun…”

At Yuusei’s words the little spirit gave a short squeak, head poking out from where he’d been exploring the back of a microwave. The others briefly looked toward the little one, and as West started laughing uneasily attention shifted to him. “Er… Well, that was the reason they decided, in the end…”

“…Decided..?” Crow repeated almost blankly, narrowing his eyes. “Ehhhh..?”

“Ah, well… West caught Pokun investigating the D-Wheel we’d constructed to come to Neo-Domino…”

Eyebrows were raised at this, Yuusei almost acting as though a switch had gone off in his mind. “You have a D-Wheel?”

She shook her head. “It was really just the parts of some left-over mine-carts and vehicles that were still in the ruins of Houra. When I channeled Kiryu through them, they made a makeshift D-Wheel; technically, he did the driving though,” she laughed rather nervously, a few stares moving toward Kiryu as a result.

“ _ **…Nico is still under driving age**._ ”

“She’s as old as I was when I learned..!”

The spirit merely crossed his arms, and they decided the argument wasn’t worth it, instead focusing on the matter of 'Pokun’ once more.

“So… 'Pokun’ was in your d-wheel..?”

A few nods. “Yea! It’s a little weird, since most of the Koropokkuru don’t get too curious about technology…”

“But according to what West heard from their elder, Kororo, Pokun has always had such an interest. Since until then she had been having trouble finding others of her race willing to see the Fugi outside of Hokkaido, it was thus decided that Pokun would be the eyes and ears of the Koropokkuru toward that goal; if at least to see if there were fugi in other regions of Japan, since she herself seemed wary of the idea of moving so many of her people across the seas.”

There was a bit of staring, and Kiryu clarified. “ ** _The Koropokkuru dislike salt._** ” Ahhh…

“Oh… And since the ocean is salt water…”

_'Huh! You better hope the fugi that went over didn’t already have any spirits in them then..! You’ll find yourself in a situation no different._ ’

“Krrrnnnnn!~” At this point Pokun jumped over, Yuusei stumbling as the little ghost landed upon his head.

“Ah-”

“Hahahah!~ He likes you, niisan..!”

A bit of a grin from Crow. “Maybe he can help get the small areas of a D-Wheel..~”

“…Crow…”

While laughter and conversation continued to drive the evening Kiryu shook his head, half sighing. “ _ **Hahh… He could well be willing…**_ ” AH- S-Seriously..!?

“Kurunnnnn!~”

At the very least, no one tried to test the theory. …Though rather ironically, it was soon after decided that while those participating left for the Preliminary matches, Yuusei would be the one looking over West and the little spirit in Neo Domino.


	60. Chapter 60

About a month after their fight, the announcement for the opening ceremonies came over their bells. Autumn had long since set in by then- and in addition, Carly had been introduced to the others of the ‘group’ so to speak.

It was an odd meeting of course- Kiryu and Carly had met before after all, and more importantly both had memories of those times. Despite this however, he and the others- Kiryu included, strangely enough, were pleasantly surprised to find that Carly’s memories of the spirit were not in fact as unpleasant as one would assume.

In fact, before it actually occurred to Carly that the others knew him better than she had, she had begun to gush about how she’d learned how to drive because of the now-mountain god. 

As it was; if Kiryu had gained incredible power as a spirit for what had happened to him, then Carly’s own power was gained in the same way. It certainly explained her sheer stamina with her spirits. Kiryu himself was rather impressed after their first sparring round, though the fact that Carly had drawn 'Earthy’ at the time likely had to do with it; while Kiryu could give Nico control of the earth in their battles, and utilize it himself, anything Carly rose up herself was 'out of bounds’… Making it quite the match.

When the month had passed however, the Ceremonies were there… Held in an enormous tent with a sign out front, the ten officials and their village head standing in the center.

The qualifying rounds were now over. In one month’s time they would receive notice of the meeting point for the next round.

’ _Take the time to say goodbye to your loved ones,_ ’ the Patch elder had warned them that night. ’ _These rounds will be much harsher than the last. And when you do return…_

’ **You will not be the same as you are now.** ’

It was with those words that they left the tent. It was with those words in mind that Crow would, after a few weeks of training, spend his last moments with the kids at Martha’s. That Carly would call the one number no one else had, keeping tears hidden and her voice steady as her hummingbird fae slept in their cards. That Kiryu and Nico, with no others to say their farewells to, would spend one last evening in Yuusei’s home- West would hug his sister good-bye, and Kiryu and Yuusei would share a steady, knowing nod.

This would be it. There would be no going back from this.

And so the day before, when the announcement of where they would be meeting for departure came in, they were ready…

Or at least, as ready as they thought possible.


	61. Chapter 61

The Neo Domino Airbase was curiously empty that morning, though likely for the best to be honest. If they had ever had concerns about standing out before after all, they certainly didn’t now- not when there were shaman in costumes varying from full body armor to ancient cultural robes. Next to them, they looked quite typical really.

As it were, standing by the Black-Bird Crow had used to drive there, they had little to do other than wait.

Wait, and…

’ _Hey I think that’s a disk,_ ’ someone in the distance muttered, voice barely registering to the group. Attentions were simply too set on what was happening and what would happen, on potential methods of training for what was to come and discussions of viable ‘mediums’ in light of the fact that technology as it seemed was not typically a shaman’s first choice.

It did register the second time however, easily echoing at a higher level of sound than the last. “Yea, that’s a duel disk..!” someone shouted, the others looking up as a trio of shaman came over. In all honesty, they looked more like a riding team, or at least part of a team. There was what looked to be a young man in a half-sleeved jacket, scarf around his neck and mask over his face, his hands stuffed in his pockets. Beside him was a woman who, for some reason, reminded him almost of Bruno- she certainly wasn’t him; the faces looked nothing alike. But between the blue hair and fairly immense amount of height she had over him, the similarities were there… Though between the skirt and the almost blank gaze she held, that was assuredly where the similarities ended.

The third of the trio was the more obvious duelist, and quite clearly the one who had spoken. With a large smile over his face and a fairly prominent head of sandy brown of hair he came toward them, he himself wearing a riders jacket over his clothes- though he didn’t seem to have a duel disk on him. Instead, like the others, he held a gun holster- hardly something expected in Japan.

As it were. “I didn’t think I’d see anyone using a duel disk for a medium..!” the man cheered, laughing with what was obviously a positive mood rather than a sarcastic one. “Must be pretty cool, using something like that..!”

As the others stared, more or less caught off guard, he grinned. “…Heh! You could say that..!” he decided in the end. “Maybe you’ll see it in a fight!”

“Ahaaa! You should hope not..!~” the man responded. “We’re pretty tough you know..!” As he said this the woman of the three turned, looking to her friend with a somewhat bored stare. “Ah- I should introduce myself I guess… This is Kono,” he began, the accent of an american slowly making itself more pronounced as he spoke, “Misaki,” he continued, moving his hand from the masked boy to the woman, “And I’m Toru! Nice meeting you eh!”

“Ah- Hah!” For a moment his grin faltered, but in the end he smirked. “Heh. Yea!”

“Um… I’m Nico,” the others with him began. “And this is Kiryu,” she continued, the spirit in question giving a short nod.“

"Ah- A-And I’m Carly Nagisa..!” Carly added in, her spirits chirping from about her.

’ _Aiapaec, Decapitator God of the Moche..!_ ’ the last of the spirits announced with a grin.

Crow almost rolled his eyes at that, but shook his head nonetheless. “Hahaha… What kind of introduction is that..!?” he snarled, the ghost merely snorting.

’ _A powerful kind!_ ’

Oii oiii…

“Hey…” They turned as Toru seemed to stare in recognition, before watching as a large grin returned to his face. “Oh man… I’ve seen you before!” he laughed, throwing an arm around a soon stumbling Kono. “Kono! This is the guy with the oversoul bike! We saw him in the finals at the tournament!”

AH- “Y-You saw that..!?” Th- When he was towing Aki, they meant??

“Of course!” Toru laughed. “We’re duelists after all! What kind of people would we be to miss the tournament?”

At this, even Kiryu raised an eyebrow, Carly being the one to voice their confusion. “But then… Where are your D-Wheels..?”

“They would fall.”

“EH-!?” As Misaki said this they jumped, Crow in particular choking on his words. “W-What do you mean fall..!? OII, AIAPAEC..!”

The spirit shrugged. ’ _Well don’t ask me..! Not like I was actually present for the last one…_ ’ Such concern he had…

“THAT DOESN’T HELP..!!”

“H-Hey, hey..!” Toru laughed, holding his hands in a weak attempt to calm the situation. “It’s not that bad..! You could get someone to take the bike somewhere safe right..? Better now than in the air…”

“Why is it even going to fall though..?” Nico asked, Toru quite abruptly finding himself coughing awkwardly as he looked away from under Misaki’s stare. Evidently this was something they had been meant to keep to themselves…

But no matter. “We will be dropped,” she said plainly. “…From the oversoul plane.”

“O-Oversoul…” How… HOW…

“Ahaaa… W-Well, if you can make a bike that flies, I suppose…” AWWWW MAN…

Crow scowled, moving to the bike screen. “Tch… And here I was looking forward to figuring out a technique that would use Blackbird…” Dammit, he liked his bike…

_'Psh! You want something more natural for a medium anyway, not that you’d have found anything here…_ ’

“OIIIIII…” And what was THAT ONE supposed to mean then..? He’d been doing fine with the bike anyways..!

Before he could continue arguing, his mind was distracted by an entirely different question. “Oh hey-! If you’re calling someone from Team 5Ds, could they sign…”

“…You don’t have your duel disk…” Misaki stated flatly, easily answering the question for them.

“AHHHH- BUT-”

In the end, it wouldn’t have mattered. By the time Yuusei had arrived to pick up the bike, the others were long gone…

Flying miles above in the air in a plane made of souls. One could almost wonder how they were falling asleep on such a ride but in the end…

“Gh… Well,” he figured in the end, “As long as we know what’s coming, I guess…”

Maybe that fact in itself would make it easier to sleep, he supposed.


	62. Chapter 62

“Hnnhhhhh… h… hHHAAAAAAAaaaa…”

He supposed it should have been expected, that flight in a plane oversoul would be slower than a real one. Ten hours in and the plane was still there, with those around him more or less sleeping away or quietly chatting amongst themselves out of boredom. A few looked almost anticipatory, from what he could see; it was difficult to tell, given the size of the plane, but it seemed to him that he and the others were not the only ones waiting for the ‘drop’. 

So then, he wondered, what was the point of it..?

A loud 'pong’ came over the air, and those who weren’t already awake jolted to attention. Across from them on an enormous screen came the face of the elder of the Patch- and along with it, a message.

“…What did he say..?”

- _fFFT-!_ -

A very brief message apparently, given that there was suddenly no seat. Or floor.

…Or plane.

“H-HAAAAH!?! JUST LIKE THAT!?!”

“HaaaAAAAAAAHHH!!! THEY ONLY SAID IT ONCE,” Carly wailed, holding her cards close as her spirits blew around them in a frenzy. “That’s not fair..!!”

“ **Mn.** ” As Kiryu shrugged at the side they watched, both him and his partner seeming to almost dragging back. Quite swiftly this was explained however, as an enormous figure in black appeared beside them, touching the ground and holding Nico up high. Advantages of being a 'mountain’, apparently, and with a grin the young girl waved.

“Good luck Crow-san! Carly-san!”

“AHHH!!”

“Y-YOU COULDN’T CATCH US!?”

’ _Oh for the love of all that is… Will you both get a hold of yourselves..!?_ ’ a fairly agitated voice snapped to them, the source misting into being whilst they fell.

“…Eh..?” The two stared as Aiapaec floated past, the ghost rolling his eyes.

’ _Are you Shaman or not!?_ ’ he growled with clear annoyance. ’ _What, you can’t think of something that flies all of a sudden?_ ' 

“Ah…”

…

_Oh._

With hurried deliberation he moved for his dueldisk, tapping the button for the side deck to pull out a card. “Hah… This should work..!”

“One, two, three…” came a mildly uneasy voice beside him in the meantime, “And the card of the day is..!”

“AH- YOU’RE ACTUALLY DEPENDING ON THAT KIND OF THING!?”

“Windy!” A sigh of relief, and calm immediately came back over the woman. “Ahhhhh, thank goodness..!”

“Oiiii…”

With energies of differing kinds the oversouls were formed- in Carly’s case, it was simple. A gust of wind and she was kept from crashing to the ground, drifting slowly on wings of green from her arm. In Crow’s case, he gripped the feather- the card and medium of his oversoul- and flew. Moving back up into the air on the head of the Black Winged Dragon, the wind blasting past him as they soared.

As he looked to the side, Kiryu’s oversoul was shrinking down, lowering Nico to the ground and then fading. Carly herself was reaching the ground as well, cancelling the technique as soon as she was able.

In the end, he followed. The dragon turned and fell toward the ground, alighting in an instant and vanishing just as soon. It was a bit of a drop given the side of the beast of course- but it was nothing too ridiculous really, and as he put the card back into his side deck he looked around, and looked up. Up at the dozens of other oversouls, varying from floating beasts to even mechanical birds.  There were scarcely any others who had merely landed it seemed. And as the oversouls scattered in multiple directions from above, he looked to the others.

“So…” he started, rubbing the back of his head. “…Any idea which way to go now?”

In the end they had no idea just how lucky they were that Aiapaec had been to the Patch at some point in the many millennia prior. …Though the prospect of travelling days on end to get there wasn’t quite as well received regardless, really.


	63. Chapter 63

Okay, he thought to himself as they walked along the vast and empty desert highway, wiping sweat from his brow. They…

_Really_ could have re-thought this…

“Hahhhhh… Not a bit of reception…” Carly lamented, holding a holo-pad out and up in a vain attempt to latch onto a signal of sorts. “I didn’t even think that was possible…”

The others merely grunted at that for the most part, the spirits as well seeming particularly bored. “We’ve been walking for hours..” Nico sighed. “How long is this highway…”

Glances turned to Aiapaec, and the spirit shrugged. ’ _Heh! Don’t ask me! I didn’t pay attention to your ridiculous measurement methods~ You could be walking for days..~’_

AAAAH- “AND YOU TELL US THIS NOW!?”

’ _You didn’t ask._ ’

“It’s not something I should have to ask!”

’ _Well now you know it is._ ’

“AIAPAEEEEEEC..!”

While the two devolved into argument the others sighed or alternatively just stared, Kiryu in particular seeming remarkably unphased by what was going on. Even so, they opted to keep silent and let them bicker back into exhaustion.

…At least until a slow rumble met the air. “ _ **Mn.**_ ” Kiryu blinked, and as he turned back the others found their attention caught as well. “ ** _…There’s something coming…_** ”

“…A car..?”

Carly’s guess was close, but in the end not close enough; for as she said this the sound of the engine increased, and the others found themselves each squinting in the distance. And soon enough, appearing with a trail of dust blasting behind them…

“AH! That’s Bommer..!” Crow shouted in surprise, bolting past the others to wave his arms. “OI! BOMMER!!”

“AH- C-Crow!” “Crow-san..!”

“ ** _…._** ”

“BOMMER!!” As he continued to jump and wave the bike moved closer and closer, Crow initially grinning widely. However, as the bike came _still_ closer… “A- aAAAHSHIT-!” he screamed, jumping back as the bike shot past. “OIIII!! WHAT THE HELL!”

The bike slowly came to a stop, and as it did so Crow stared; there was a side car attached to the bike, and as he recovered from his leap backward a boy turned from in the sidecar to stare at him. “Mn..? Another Shaman..?” Another-

The boy hopped out and along with him Bommer came down from the seat of the D-Wheel himself. And as they came toward him, the others found themselves staring rather owlishly at the latest arrivals.

In the end… “Er… Didn’t know you were a shaman…” Crow muttered. “Heh! I guess with what happened though-”

“I’m not a shaman,” Bommer cut in swiftly, the others blinking.

“Eh- Y-You’re not-”

It was the boy who spoke up, and as he did so a small flaming imp appeared upon his shoulder to grin. “My brother’s a medium- he doesn’t have the right power for oversoul. Instead,” he continued with a widening grin, “I’m competing..!”

“AH-” BUT. HE WAS…

…TEN..?

By the end of it, they managed to all somehow hitch a ride with Bommer by trading places to make an oversoul carrier while getting the story on just what was going on really. Even when they’d gotten the story he wasn’t sure how much of it made sense really…

But he supposed that regardless of what had happened, it couldn’t have been worse than how he himself started out.


	64. Chapter 64

’ _Hnhnhnhnhn… Awfully far from your master, aren’t you ‘sootball’..?_ ’

It was quite late, when the spirits finally had some time to themselves so to speak. The Patch Village was indeed days away- days by vehicle even. The group had wound up finding for themselves a shelter in the form of an outcropping of rocks out in the desert and off the highway, made more appropriate for settling down in with a bit of swift ground-work from Nico and Kiryu. The mountain spirit in question was still with the others in fact; keeping a constant vigil, 'sleeping’ only in the sense that he was within the stone Nico had taken with to act as a medium. The hummingbird spirits themselves were in a similar state within Carly’s cards…

Which meant that Aiapaec could finally address the fire spirit that was the Red Nova’s familiar.

’ _Keh!_ ’ The spirit spat, crossing his arms. ’ _I don’t have a master now, didn’t you hear? And don’t think you can twist that back on me,_ ’ he added with a grin. ’ _You’re nothing but a shadow of a god now..!~ There’s nothing tying me to **you**..!’_

’ _Ohhh?_ ’ Well. That certainly explained the blond one’s dragon… Even so he looked to the imp with a rather unimpressed frown. ’ _And what gives a tiny sprite like you the power to decide that? You don’t even know if I’d want you around!_ ’ he added with a grin. _'I don’t have use for little sparks like you…’_

’ _WHAT!?’_ the sprite’s flames jumped, though as he growled they were swiftly reigned in. ’ _You… You should be grabbing at all the power you can get..!_ ’ he spat back. _'Not that I blame you I suppose… Freedom is incredible isn’t it..? I don’t have to worry about a thing now..!~_ ’

’ _You’re mixing up freedom with slavery_ ,’ Aiapaec chuckled. _'Though I suppose you wouldn’t know the difference.’_

’ _YOU….!_ ’

’ _Hold your tongue and let me speak,_ ’ he growled, eyes narrowing. ’ _You know why I’m here, **sprite**. I can get plenty of power on the path we’re on now, and that’s exactly what brought you along for the ride, isn’t it? But that isn’t the only reason…_ ’ The familiar stared, and so Aiapaec continued on. ’ _The shift of power that came one year ago was no coincidence. Between that and the 'arc cradle’ that appeared over Neo Domino, well!’_

As the sprite narrowed its eyes Aiapaec continued, his words hissing and his tone cold. ’ _The Crimson Dragon has gotten what was coming to him,_ ’ he warned. ’ _He got his spirit chained and sealed!’_

’ _Seal…_ ’ After a moment to get over his shock the sprite grinned. ’ _Why… That’s WONDERFUL news..!~ I can’t even think of what I’m going to do now, ohohohhhhh this will be fun-’_

’ _Will you PIPE DOWN!_ ’ The sprite immediately silenced, and as Aiapaec snarled the little demon shrank back against the stones they stood by. ’ _Much as I hate the stupid fire-monger I’m not so foolish as to believe that something which is capable of that is no threat! There’s only one reason to seal something like a God, and mark my words it bodes ill for all of us,’_ he hissed.

The sprite gulped.

Aiapaec continued. ’ _You will keep this silent,_ ’ he warned, half growling under his breath. ’ _There is nothing for us to gain in bringing up the Crimson Dragon now, you hear?’_ he continued, a sensation of crushing pressure seeming to bend down over the red familiar.

’ _M-Mnn…! Y-Yes!’_

’ _Good!_ ’ What a waste of information though… Not only did the sprite not know anything, but if he hadn’t told him he’d have probably started going on about how much better he was than himself… …Which he assuredly wasn’t!

…Now then…

’ _When we reach the village you stay under my eye, understand?_ ’ he told the spirit. ’ _Control or no, your origin is my power- I expect you to use it properly…’_ And with that… The god grinned maliciously, and as the sprite stared he chuckled. ’ _…So do be sure to prove there was a reason in picking a partner as ridiculously young as yours… Alright?_ ’

’ _Y-Yes…!’_

The grin grew wider, and the spirit turned to leave. ’ _Good!_ ’

Good…

And as he left, the familiar of red nova swallowed. Here he’d thought the vanishment of the Scar Red Nova would mean he’d be free of all this mess…

Now it seemed more like he’d have been better off destroyed and merged…


	65. Chapter 65

By the morning there was no mention or hint of what the two ‘darker’ spirits of the group had conversed on. It helped of course that 'Nova’ as the brothers took to calling him wasn’t actually near-by; taking advantage of the sense Bommer had for the spirits Nova instead acted as a beacon of sorts, darting ahead as a constantly blazing torch.

When they did finally stop for a break- there were indeed rest stops on the route as it turned out, though actually paying for anything proved difficult- tension seemed to rise yet again between the ghosts. In the end however, it was easily settled by one thing.

’ _Oi! Crow!_ ’

“AAAAAAAUGH. You wouldn’t even like this stuff..!”

’ _TRY ME._ ’

Offerings.

It seemed that in the end, small similarities such as a love for human culinary dishes solved everything between the two, though it was still fairly clear that Nova was more or less unwilling to step too far out of line in Aiapaec’s presence.

…At least, as they would discover later, when it actually _involved_ Aiapaec.

They would be at the Patch Village soon, thanks to the guidance of both spirits however. They had been dropped 1200 kilometers from the site; entering the state of Arizona now, they were within a few hours of their destination. He had to admit- he was fairly impressed with that.

…He decided not to address the fact that they’d driven through a city called _Aztec_ to get over the state line in the end however, and as it was they were now left driving nearly due south as Aiapaec abruptly shouted for them to ’ _turn before you drive right past the place idiots!_ ’

They’d still likely be among the first to arrive at least; if they had three months after all, one more day probably wouldn’t kill them if they _had_ passed it. “Man… We were lucky you passed us..!” Crow laughed as they started off again, Aiapaec notably absent due to it being the red-head’s turn to form a 'carrier’ for them all. “We’d be walking for days otherwise..!”

“Hm! We almost didn’t,” Bommer responded with a small smile. “The wind caught Max’s oversoul when we fell; if it hadn’t blown us back from the drop point we’d have never run into each other.”

“Ah… The wind did?” Nico asked, staring. “How did that happen..?”

“Oh! I channeled Nova into my poncho!” Max explained. “It made a huge parachute of fire, so that we could fall safely with the D-Wheel. But…”

As the boy paused, Bommer shrugged. “A stray gust of wind caught us… Though in the end, it didn’t put us as far behind as we thought it would,” he decided.

Max nodded. “Mn! That’s right! Most people don’t know where the village is I don’t think… It’s either that, or they’ll be walking! Having someone who’s been there before really helps!” As a small number of grins and nods met his eyes, he paused. “Eh- Carly? Is something wrong?”

Carly for her part looked rather red in the face, as though horribly embarrassed about something. “AhahaHAAA… I’m fine!” she squeaked, holding her cards close and looking away. “Nothing’s wrong..!”

…It took about two seconds for those in the carrier to realize that Max and Bommer’s 'stray gust of wind’ was very likely the same wind current Carly had created to force herself up above the air…

“Ahaa… Well, anyways! You use your poncho as a medium then Max?”

At Crow’s question he nodded, Bommer speaking up as well. “It’s partially made from the fabric of a blanket that was passed down from our parents,” he told them with an almost morose tone. It’s been with us for many years.“

"Only a little bit of it comes from the original,” the younger one added, gesturing to the fabric in question. “These two panels near the sides, see?”

“Aah… It does look a lot more worn compared to the rest,” Nico observed, Carly as well peering over as she adjusted her glasses.

“It’s well kept though..!” she noted. “Good job..!”

“Ahhh- Thanks..!~”

At this the engine’s hum began to quiet, the bike coming to a much slower speed. As they turned off the larger highway to a narrow dusty path rocky outcroppings began to come into view, rising up and around them, appearing still higher ahead of them. It was curiously empty here; unlike most cliff-dwelling sites in the state there were no tourists, no travel guides. Instead as they drove they passed sign after sign reading 'keep out’, 'danger’…

The bike came to a stop as they came to what looked to be a staircase entrance, and as Crow’s oversoul dispersed the spirit that was Aiapaec floated over to inspect. ’ _Mn! This is it!_ ’ he told them with a smirk. ’ _Your next test…_ ’

“AH- Test..!?”

There was nothing but a shrug in response to that. ’ _You’ll see when you get to the entrance, don’t worry…_ ’

“Of course I’m going to worry! What the hell are you talking about..!!”

“Nehhh, Bommer, how are we going to get the bike in here…”

“…I’ll wait here.”

“EHH!?”

While the brothers attempted to solve their own issue ('But Bommer..! What if there isn’t another way in!!’), Carly took a deep breath and moved forward, stepping past Crow and the 'keep out’ sign both to begin making her way down.

“Eh- Carly-san…”

The woman looked back with a small smile. “W-Well… There’s no reason to stop when we’ve gotten this far right..?” she asked, the expression on her face almost pained.

There was a bit of silence at that. Come to think of it, Carly used to panic within as much as a day over deadlines in her work…

…Over all it would have been about three days since then, with no service…

In the end there was little argument after that. Bommer did indeed wait out with his bike after the others promised to find another way in for him, and with that they began to walk inside…

Unaware of the many spiraling paths that were attached to their own…

As both spirit and human alike were guided downward by the powerful pull of the Great Spirit.


	66. Chapter 66

He was falling.

He could feel wind rushing past him as he fell, and as he fell so did a thousand beings with wings of black. Falling, diving even, toward one common goal-

The sea.

…And then he was flying.

Flying through an endless expanse of blue despite lacking the wings he’d been graced with as he fell, swimming past the shades of the dead and the gates that held them close. He flew, ever faster, turning up toward the ‘sky’…

His journey took him into the farthest reaches of the sky and beneath him were symbols of dancing light. Above him were suns of variant forms, and skies what spoke of endless seas, pouring water, and a serpent of two heads and many colours.

His journey took him toward the greatness that was a mountain, travelling through stone…

And suddenly there was fire. And suddenly there was pain, as the entire world itself became affected by the might of the earth’s wrath. Suddenly the stars themselves seemed to come to life, battling amongst themselves in a battle with no end. The sky darkened as the sun and moon collided, and as darkness settled-

…There was calm.

The sun rose…

And in an instant Crow’s eyes flew open, his mind racing in an attempt to make sense of what he’d dreamed only for the dream itself to escape him.

“…" 

He lay against the straw mat he’d been sleeping on for a few moments, narrowing his eyes and staring at the ceiling before finally voicing the first thing he could think of.

”…Did someone drug me..?“

It was with this that the old patch officiant at the side would chuckle, and soon after offer the young man a bowl of soup and an explanation. In yet another room, after dreams of dances and racing comets another would awaken, and after being explained just where they were by the officiant who had test him as well would find himself grinning widely and cheering, albeit quickly pausing in his elation to ask just where his brother was. In yet another room Nico would awaken as well, confused, but more curious as to where her partner and guardian had wandered off to.

Outside on another building’s roof, Carly would be seen herself, staring into the great white mass that lay in the center of the village they had arrived at. As the only one of their group to remain conscious upon exiting the tunnels, as one with just enough power to avoid fainting at the sight of the 'Great Spirit’ and its vision…

Her expression toward what she saw would almost be despairing. As for the spirits, they themselves had varying responses, with the fae merely looking to the mass in almost reverence while others such as Kiryu stared in silence and perhaps even unease. The familiar of Nova would be stricken with shock. Aiapaec merely stared  with crossed arms and a flat scowl.

And far, far off to the distance, six others would stare into the fountain of souls that was the Great Spirit. The first three wore what they had from the start- casual dress, mixed with the traits of the riding duelist.

The others varied- one a man older than the three, the others obviously younger. It was one of the smaller two who sighed, staring out toward the village. "Maaaahhh…” he grumbled, lowering his head. “He fainted…”

“I would have thought a God would pick someone stronger…” the girl beside him calmly stated. “Instead he’s as weak as everyone else…”

“He would have been your opponent anyways,” the man behind them chuckled, placing a hand upon their shoulders. “Pay it no mind. Aiapaec is a powerless being with nothing left but his pride. To call him a 'god’ in these times would be the same as calling the sun a galaxy; his strength and judgement is useless now- we have nothing to fear from the powers of the Earth.”

“Awww… Don’t be like that..!” Toru laughed from ahead of them, rubbing the back of his head. “There’s still time..! I bet a fight against him would be fun!”

“We’re not here for fun,” the girl countered flatly, chuckling coming from her team-mate.

“But there’s no sense in just going after everything without enjoying it right..?! Neh, Leader-san?”

More chuckling, and the man sighed. “My my… Your Japanese is still atrocious Toru…” Ahhh… “But, if you so wish, then enjoy yourself as much as you want. These people will see the fights following as 'entertainment’ after all,” he continued with a dark grin. “So why not give them what they want- I don’t think they know the details of that themselves after all…”

Toru would grin and cheer at that, and run off to wander the village. His team mates Kono and Misaki would pause briefly to trade looks with the others and follow after, potentially intending to purchase a few things while there.

And left alone the remaining three continued to stare into the spirit, the youngest again sighing. “Hm! He can hope all he wants, but no one who passes out that easy will make it to the final rounds.”

“Hnhnhnhnhn… Exactly what I had thought…”

But after all, for now it was the time to sit back, relax…

And as they moved to enter the streets, instantly followed by shouts of fear or shock when they were met with others, the time to enjoy the… _Hospitality_ so to speak.

“Mhnhnhnhnhn… Now then… Lets see if we can’t find a better room to use for our stay here…”


	67. Chapter 67

“I’m never eating that soup again…” Crow lamented later that day, head resting on the edge of a cafe table he’d wound up sitting at in the village center. The entire place was surprisingly ‘up to date’ to say the least, even having a track of some sorts for riding duels.

Unfortunately as he discovered, they also charged a rather ridiculous price to use this track, along with make any purchases there- evidently they were known for this sort of thing but either way.

It meant the taste of banana and fish was still stuck in his mouth, making him nauseous as the others stared.

“Ah… I-If you want, there’s a fountain I could get water from…” Nico offered, Kiryu merely countering it from behind her.

“ _ **They’ll likely charge you for it once they catch you.**_ ”

“R-Really!?”

Max nodded, his brother sitting beside him with crossed arms. “Correct; though I don’t think that soup will always be on the 'free’ menu.”

“It better not…”

’ _Damn straight, tasted like shit,_ ’ Aiapaec grumbled. ’ _And you thought you could 'offer’ me it…_ ’

Crow merely grinned weekly at that, the others sighing. And then…

“Hm. So you reached this point after all.”

“HEH-?” Not even lifting his head from the table Crow turned, only to find himself jerking back. “GH- You..!”

“Ahhh…” Carly blinked, adjusting her glasses and staring at 'you’ in question. The boy looked to be about the age of Nico’s brother, dressed in somewhat traditional robes and accompanied by the spirit flame of some sparking ghost. More importantly however, was that his hair…. “D-Divi-”

“Mn?” The boy frowned, eyeing Carly almost with suspicion before snorting. “Hn! We haven’t met,” he stated flatly. “Don’t try and place a face you don’t know.”

“B… But…”

“What do you want Sly,” Crow grumbled, looking to the boy almost in annoyance. “Can’t you wait until the tournament to try killing me off?”

Another snort, albeit accompanied by a small smirk of sorts. “Hardly. You could say I’m observing my competition,” he continued plainly. “Though since everyone is competition that hardly clarifies what I’m doing does it?”

In other words, the others thought as they eyed the boy suspiciously 'wouldn’t you like to know?’

Max strangely enough was still looking to the boy like he could be a new friend though. In fact… “Well, competition or no, it’s good to talk to people right? It’s like dueling! No one’s really enemies after they duel,” he continued, ignorant to the distaste from the new arrival. “Hi~ My name’s Max!”

Sly looked to Max as though he had suddenly pulled himself out from a mud puddle at that, staring almost owlishly for a few brief moments. “…Are you completely stupid?” he finally asked, Max’s smile cracking somewhat.

“E-Ehhhhh…”

“Max, it’s probably  better not to talk to him,” Bommer decided, the small firespirit resting on his shoulder nodding in agreement.

“Yea!” added Crow. “This guy probably doesn’t associate with anyone..!”

“Well, not anyone as flippant as you lot,” Sly casually argued in response, Crow immediately taking the bait to stand.

“What was that…??”

Sly merely looked up with a bored expression. “Please. The second rounds are a public battle- and you’re going in with clothes that would only last a few seconds with medium only barely compatible with spirits in any way. I think the closest any of you come are that poncho and that rock,” he continued, Nico herself responding with a broken smile not unlike Max’s own.

…Admittedly however, he was quite correct, but- “Ah- But the cards are where my spirits came from..!” Carly protested, Sly merely shrugging it off.

“They obviously aren’t very strong then.”

- _Tsweee tsweee tsweeeEEEEEEE_ -

“AHHH- Quiet, quiet..!” Carly quickly found herself hissing to her spirits, the birds each peeping in annoyance from the ends of the cards. “Just prove him wrong later..!!”

“That’s the spirit!” The group blinked as yet another voice came over the air, a young man in furs and leather smiling from a short distance away. “Though for all you know, you could be fighting _with_ each other first right?”

Errr…

“And you are…?”

Crow’s statement was passed over by Sly’s. “What do you mean fight _with_ each other?” he asked coldly, the man shrugging.

He looked to be about Crow’s own age to be honest- with ash brown hair and a drum hanging from his waist a small white spirit flame could be seen at his side, resembling a bear. And the man merely laughed at the cold disposition he received from Sly in response, before explaining.

“I’d have thought you would look over all the rules you could,” he chuckled, rubbing the back of his head. “They were practically hammered into me by my clan…”

“..Rules..?” Nico asked, raising an eyebrow.

“The shaman fight second rounds have the option to run using teams,” he explained calmly. “There’s a limit of three per- however,” he continued almost dangerously, “Most shaman have already done this.”

“Ah- You mean that we’d be fighting one on three if we went in now..!?” Max protested, eyes wide.

“Well, you could always make a team after all!” the man laughed, Sly appearing to narrow his eyes at the news. It was almost as though he hadn’t expected a team up of this extent. As it was…

“Hm. Like the 'Three Party’ fights of year 2000,” he snorted, crossing his arms. “To think we would be dealing with a repeat…” He looked to the side in thought, trading a glance with his spirit before nodding. “Very well then. You!” he demanded, pointing to the man, “And you!” he continued, Nico jumping in surprise. “Your names!”

“M-Me!?!”

“Oh- Adam Kuzuyama,” the man responded. “And my friend,” he added, the spirit flame manifesting to full size as a large white-furred bear yawned, “Is Koki, the kermode bear.”

Kuzu… “Kuzuyama..?” Crow muttered, looking up in thought a moment.

“Ah- Have you heard of him?” Carly asked, her friend shrugging.

“I can’t remember…”

“Alright,” Sly decided, attention snapping back to him. “It’s decided.” Without warning he moved, grabbing first Adam’s wrist and then Nico’s.

“E-EHHH!!??”

“Um… What?” Adam asked almost blankly, leaning over somewhat to make up for the height difference.

“I don’t have time to bother with 'duelists’,” he said flatly, Nico appearing to look as though she was considering confessing to that particular pastime. “You’ll be my teammates,” he continued, slowly pulling them off.

“Mn- What..!?”

“ERrrrr… Bu-But Crow…”

“You can fight him later.”

“T-That wasn’t the point..!!”

“Ahahaaa… To think I’d find a team so fast…”

“I didn’t say I was fighting..!!”

“ _ **…**_ ”

The others stared, blinking off the shock as the three slowly vanished behind a few buildings and up the stairs. “O-Oii…”

“…Kiryu is being surprisingly calm about this…” Carly observed, staring. “You don’t think…”

“Gh-” Crow’s smile twitched, eyes still wide. “He… He’s thinking we’ll be able to fight sooner no doubt…”

“Ahh… But this way we can be a team too right?” Max asked, grinning.

As the others looked back Bommer chuckled, nodding. “That would be the quickest solution- there’s three of you here after all.”

“Er… I guess..?”

“Ah- D-Don’t sound as though it’s a bad thing..!!” Carly protested, Crow himself laughing almost awkwardly in response.

“I’m not! I’m not I swear!!”

“Hey! I found them!” another, albeit somewhat more familiar voice called. As Toru laughed and came toward them the others blinked, staring.

'Ohhh… Getting ready right off the bat aren’t they…’ Er… What?

With Toru came Misaki and Kono, the two almost flanking him as he stood before them. “Yo! Got here pretty fast huh!”

“Hah! You thought we wouldn’t make it..?”

“…1200 kilometers is a long walk…” Misaki responded quietly. “…More than three days…”

“AH- Th-That…”

“I drove them,” Bommer explained flatly, Misaki merely nodding.

“…I see.” O-Of course…

“So do you guys have a team yet?” Toru asked,  gesturing to his friends. “We’ve already decided..! Just like if we were dueling- Team 'Geshouku’..!” Ah-

“The Eclipse..?” They were met with a thumbs up from Toru, and Misaki seemed to stare at him with a look of bored incredulity before he continued.

“Yup! And then Leader-san has 'Nishouku’; so there’s two teams..!” Leader-san..?

“…Toru…”

“Ahaaaa, I’m talking too much… Oh! Hey, what did you guys dream about when you got here?” he asked, swapping the subject around before the others could even ask who team 'nishouku’ was. “The great spirit’s benediction is one heck of a trip isn’t it..!”

Okay that was something they could all agree on. “Hah! Got that right..!” Crow laughed. “I don’t even completely remember it all..! I have to try looking again later…”

“It was so cool!” Max cheered, his brother merely raising an eyebrow- anyone who entered would find themselves with some sort of 'message’ from the spirit, but evidently whatever he had seen was not as 'cool’ as what Max had. “There was fire everywhere and comets were flying through space, and everything was so fast-”

“Eh… R-Really..??” Carly asked, staring. As the others turned she found herself looking down rather sheepishly. “…Mine wasn’t really that…”

“Well they’re all different right?” Toru laughed, Misaki seeming to eye him almost suspiciously. “Take mine, I saw-”

“…Toru…”

“Ahahahhaah…”

“…It was weird,” murmured the one beside them, the ones at the table jumping as Kono spoke.

“AH-”

’ _THEY SPOKE!’_

W-Was that a girl or a guy behind that mask, it was impossible to tell-!!!

“…Kono-kun…”

“…Sorry.” W-Well…

Guess that answered their question…

A slow rise in volume began coming over the village, the others turning from their conversation. “Eh..? Something going on over there..?”

'Team Geshouku’ as they were called, shrugged. “Maybe!” Toru decided. “Who knows. But you know, you should probably not sit around too long right?” he laughed, he and the others turning to leave. “Fights in a few months..! Make sure you get really strong!”

“Ah- Of course..!” Crow laughed, standing from his seat. “We’ll see you in the tournament!”

“Exactly!”

It wouldn’t be until much later that another team of shamans would tell them just who it was causing such a ruckus in the distance really.

But even then, the connection between that and the teams 'Nishouku’ and 'Geshouku’ would go unnoticed until it was far too late.


	68. Chapter 68

In the few days that followed the group dividing into two separate teams it became more than apparent that what they had now would simply _not work_ when it came to the coming battles.

Between clothes that were made for the chilled January weather which would long since pass by the time they returned to Tokyo for the fights, and the fact that his oversoul was definitely going to need more refining- in a _different_ medium…

Well, he still wasn’t entirely sure of a medium just yet, but according to Aiapaec the spirit itself would deal with that. He wasn’t entirely sure if he should feel relieved about that, but in the end it at least meant that he would be doing the other half of the errands alone.

Frankly he couldn’t remember the last time he’d gone into a store for _clothes_ , let alone clothes _specifically_ for fighting, but seeing a few bits of other shaman training as they arrived had convinced him in the end. He wasn’t the only one either- Carly was busily doing both medium hunting to amplify the powers of the fortune fae and looking for more battle-worthy and comfortable garb, and Max in the meantime was attempting to re-work his poncho lest he fall over himself in battle forever after.

He just wished the damn Patch weren’t so price gouging- he could relate to needing a bit of cash, really, he could- 

But this was ridiculous..! “Sheesh,” he grumbled as the tags he’d ripped from what he was now wearing were scanned, shaking his head. “Even with a discount…”

“Clothes shopping?” a somewhat surprised voice questioned, Crow answering without thought.

“Hahaha, say what you want but it’s that or I was stuck in a park-” …A. Wait. His eyes widened as he looked to who had walked in, double taking at the somewhat unfamiliar sight. “Ah- Brave..!” he realized, Brave himself grinning as he adjusted the knapsack he had with him.

“Yoooo!” he greeted, two others following him in. “We had a feeling you would be here..!”

“As shaman after all,” Harald continued, his own clothes seeming almost regally professional in contrast to Brave’s ‘hiker wear’, “It would be expected to see you in this tournament.”

“Ah-” …R-Right… Heh. He smirked, shaking the shock off. “Mahhhh, that figures… So it’s 'Team Ragnarok’ again then, eh?”

Dragan’s turn to nod, the man somehow preventing himself from overheating despite the somewhat thick coat he had. “Right! We were fortunate with the timing of the tournaments,” he added, looking toward Harald as he said this.

“Because of the space between these events, we were able to properly train for both.”

“And if you thought 'ragnarok’ was coming back then, you just watch!” Brave laughed. “We won’t be going down easy in the shaman fights either!”

Hahahaha… “Oii oiii, I didn’t even duel you guys..!”

“I bet it would have been fun though..!”

“Crow,” Harald began, moving the subject onward. “What team do you have for your own efforts in this fight?” Him?

“Ahh… No one you’d know,” he admitted with a shrug, the others trading almost surprised if not confused glances. “Carly, and a kid named Max…”

“That reporter..?” Dragan seemed to ask himself, looking up in thought.

“Oh yea she tried to get an interview before the match…”

“And after.”

“And…”

“If your team mate is a reporter, does she somehow expect to retain her job even with her absence for this tournament?” Harald asked somewhat curiously, Crow merely blinking.

“Er…” C-Come to think…

“No matter what the answer to that,” another voice chimed in, “The end of it will be that it’s gone.”

“AH-” The four turned as a young black shaman gave them a short wave. Hold on now, they didn’t even- “Who even are you..?”

“Joco,” he responded calmly, a pair of spirits floating to his sides. “And these are Mic, and Pascal Avaf.”

As the jaguar spirit gave a short growl in greeting Pascal himself waved, Crow staring. Seemed almost…

Familiar? “ _I see Aiapaec has chosen a partner,_ ” Pascal observed, Crow in question jumping. “ _Not something I expected after this long, particularly not what I expected from your nationality, or at least your recent ancestry…_ ”

AHHH- “Oi oiii, what’s that supposed to mean-”

“He’s surprised a Japanese guy got paired with a Peruvian God, what else,” Brave asked, resulting in a bit of a tense freeze from his friend. “You’re not the only one- I’m not exactly Scandanavian, you don’t think these guys weren’t surprised?”

“ _Yes, but it’s in my nature to wander..~_ ” came a chuckling voice, a spirit flame misting up above Brave’s shoulder. It was…

“AH- I thought Loki was-”

“Those are the cards, the spirits look nothing like that,” Dragan muttered. “Don’t tell me you thought people actually dressed like that once…”

“Er…” What what what…

Harald frowned. “We’re getting distracted.” Looking back to Joco, he frowned. “How do you know of any of us?”

“I have a friend with keen eyes and a sensitive nose,” he responded casually as he shrugged. “More importantly, I was scouting earlier for team mates. No problems there though,” Joco added with a smirk, “I got mine in the end.”

“ _And it’s good that we did apparently,_ ” Pascal added with a chuckle. “ _You were surprisingly quick to find team mates, 'Crow Hogan’._ ”

“Hey hey hey, at least wait until I introduce myself, that’s just creepy..!”

“And knowing who Carly is wasn’t?”

“At least I can pretend they met while elsewhere!” AGHH- “And why would you say she’ll lose the job anyways..?”

“Aside from the fact that it’ll be three months before she has wi-fi again..?” Dragan muttered, finding himself suddenly looking to Joco with narrowed eyes as the man faced them with a frown.

“No- if it was just that, then anyone here could end up in that sort of situation. I’m saying it because if she doesn’t smarten up, the Eclipse teams will kill her before the fights even start.” Wh…

“Eclipse teams..??” Briefly he looked to Ragnarok and they as well seemed confused.

“Why would you explicitly say 'kill’,” Harald pressed coldly, Joco looking to Pascal as the spirit nodded.

“ _Because it’s happened before- isn’t that right, Odin?_ ”

At this the other two spirits of Ragnarok appeared in flame form, Thor and Odin trading glances as they looked forward.

In the end, Odin spoke only when attention became fixed upon him. “ _We were not present at the previous Shaman Tournament, Pascal Avaf. You know this, and yet you ask for **us** to share the risks that now repeat themselves. Would it not be better,_ ” he continued, “ _If one who watched from the field explained?_ ”

“ _I would think Odin the all-seeing would prefer to give an 'objective’ view,_ ” Pascal replied with a grin, the shamans frowning as their suspicion grew.

Odin snorted, and nodded. “ _Hn. What a ridiculous lie. You merely wish for me to share what I did **not** see._ ” Not-

Harald stiffened, and Brave jumped. “Wait- But Odin’s eye sees everything doesn’t it..?” There was no response, and Brave pushed the topic further. “Hey..! What’s so bad that you can’t tell us??”

“ _Odin can’t see the Crimson Dragon any more,_ ” Pascal explained with a stern tone, a shudder seeming to pass through the air as Odin closed his good eye. “ _Not since a number of months ago at least._ ” A number of…

“…That’s what Aiapaec was talking about,” Crow realized with a swallow, thinking back to when he had only just started to take part in the tournament. “When he was questioning why the Dragon took the marks back-”

Oops. “He took back the _marks_?” Harald hissed, those of Team Ragnarok looking to Joco in an instant. “And what do you know of this then?” he asked. “What has your 'friend’s 'keen sense of smell’ granted you that my eye can’t?”

“The dragon’s picked new servants,” Joco explained. “And not willingly.”

“ _A quake happened at the shrine where the Dragon’s mark is enshrined for worship, where his physical form is said to be sealed,_ ” Pascal continued. “ _One which divided the grave completely._ ”

“Leg, Claw, Tail, Wing, Head- all five of the standard marks are gone, same with the dragon,” the shaman added. “Not something that’s typical of the area.”

“Then what _did_ happen to the dragon?” Dragan questioned.

“ _Someone put him on a leash that’s what,_ ” they were told, Pascal’s expression growing most severe. “ _And whoever’s on the other end of it isn’t going to hold back._ ”

“With five Signers, that’s minimum two separate teams- and conveniently enough, that’s exactly what we found. The 'eclipse teams’,” Joco warned, “Are the signers split in two plus one extra; head, leg, and claw are on one, the Lunar Eclipse.”

“ _The Solar Eclipse is home to the Tail and Wings, and one other. This development is not unlike that of the Shaman Tournament prior this,_ ” the spirit with him continued seriously. “ _They’re all acting toward the similar goal of one person winning, and it is entirely likely that they will take drastic measures that result even in their disqualification to further that goal..! And if there’s even a chance that these goals are investigated into any further than private forewarning…_ ”

Then… “…When you say Carly could be killed…”

“…He’s not saying any of you are weak,” Brave finished, Harald narrowing his eyes as Dragan growled.

“You’re saying she’ll be a _target_ ,” Crow realized, clenching his fists.

“You’re telling us that if she attempts to further her work she’ll be forced to 'disappear’ with it,” Dragan continued, scowl growing more stiff.

“I’m only warning you guys because you have ties to the last five,” Joco told them, arms crossed as he looked to Pascal. “According to this guy, he owes something to the Dragon.”

“ _…And Aiapaec also,_ ” the spirit added. “ _But with this, we can face each other without worry for such things. You tell him that,_ ” he told Crow sternly, “ _Do not forget..! My debt to Aiapaec is cleared now._ ” Debt..?

As he nodded the shaman turned to leave, a smile flashed back at them. “Good!” Joco called back, before adding one last thing as he walked away. “Oh and while we’re at it, try getting some of those markers charged up before leaving the village; might help with what your partner has in mind!”

Just what it was that Joco meant by Aiapaec’s plans he wasn’t sure. If anything, he didn’t even know what he meant by 'charging up’ his markers. Sooner or later however, he supposed he would find out…

In the meantime, the conversation now more than dark and awkward in nature, Crow decided to take the chance to leave himself. He supposed he would just have to ask Aiapaec in the end, really.

He just hoped that what came next didn’t get as twisted as Joco and Pascal had implied.


	69. Chapter 69

Markers, at their most base description, were essentially that. Signals keyed through the momentum energy, which gave off on their own one single unique code. A code that could be tracked, from any point in the world, at any time.

Except in death.

Stretching beyond the limits of normal man however, the marker was so much more. Momentum after all was the energy of the dead and thus it was with the energy of the dead that they played with. With the energies of the spiritual realms themselves that they carved the faces of their criminals, forever marking them in not only life but for all time thereafter as well.

And this was something Aiapaec apparently decided to tell him now, while trying to explain that carving said markers up with the right inks would probably not only tap into this constant signal but in fact enhance any spiritual techniques he used.

The same markers that would probably react quite ‘loudly’ to say the least, once he even tried that.

“Gh- What the hell kind of ink would even do this?” he protested, Aiapaec idly floating along side him as he walked with the others. Max for his part had done very little to change his outfit- his hat had been swapped out for a headband mind, but aside from that the most he’d done was cut a bit from the poncho to make into leg-warmers. He had yet to reveal just what the purpose of putting his medium on his legs was, but Crow had a feeling that once they got going with training he’d find out.

Carly in the meantime…

She adjusted her glasses, the new frames taking time to get used to. Quite frankly however, it was that or risk getting glass in her eyes, so she was taking the 'lesser of two evils’ for the moment. “I suppose that the 'Patch’ would know a good deal about that sort of thing wouldn’t they..?” she asked, hands in her pockets as she frowned. She had in fact gotten her 'fight’ clothes apparently- but at the same time wished to leave them for fighting and training. The woman looked back to the others, and after a moment Crow sighed.

“I guess…”

“ _And just what is that supposed to mean…?_ ” Aiapaec asked with a warning tone, Crow merely turning to him with a broken smile.

“I mean _LOOK AT THEIR PRICES_!”

“Ah-”

“Aah…”

“…right.”

“ _Things that never change, how interesting…_ ”

“You mean it’s always been like this..!?”

“Would it help if I lent the funds for this one?” The others turned as Bommer made this offer, and in their silence he continued. “You also need something to preserve the objects you found to use as more proper media correct?” he added, Crow merely giving a somewhat awkward cough in response.

“Er…”

Bommer smirked. “In that case, I’ll pay for this.”

“WHAT-”

“ _Don’t complain, fool!_ ”

The blind duelist chuckled, merely walking toward where their now-destination was. “Consider it a 'thanks’ for what happened in Satellite,” he told them, leaving Crow and Carly to trade a short look.

“Eh? Something happened in…”

“…Later,” Crow decided, somewhat deliberately avoiding the eyes of Max. …Or maybe even never?

He certainly wouldn’t in a few moments at least, and as he pulled out the box he’d been using to carry what had eventually been decided for a 'medium’ he frowned. Bommer was right- what they’d picked would be ridiculously fragile. The skull of a snake, and of a condor sat in the box, each one about the size of his ear. There was nothing left in the living realm attached to them. They were devoid of spirits of their own- but between the fact that they had spent all their years in the plain of the great spirit, and the fact that the animals themselves held ties to Aiapaec in someway, it held a heck of a lot more connection to the spirit than his dueldisk.

…That and he didn’t want to ruin his dueldisk, to be honest.

But they were fragile skulls. He’d contemplated converting them to earrings or even carrying them around in his arm warmers until finding that out in fact. If he couldn’t use the skulls themselves, then…

By the end of it, they would just have to do what Bommer had advised it seemed. Cover them in something that would strengthen them, without dampening their properties. It was this process in fact that led him to pick 'earrings’ over 'gloves’ even- eerie looking as they were, the fact remained that they weren’t the sort of thing he thought should be kept hidden.

…Which meant good-bye lugnut earrings he decided with a shrug, placing them with the rest of his things. If at least for now, to say the least.

The earrings would not be the only major change however, in addition to everything else. Ink, as they learned, was a fairly sacred if not highly versatile medium depending on its use. Aiapaec was right to expand on the idea of the markers; by inscribing them with an ink of similar 'resonance’ so to speak (though what the hell that meant he had no idea), a certain level of technique would be easier to utilize.

As to exactly what that was, he likely would have had a much more instant, far more negative response if he had been the same as he was a few years back.

“ _Partial integration is a powerful technique,_ ” Aiapaec would explain to him as they sat in the room to wait for their request to go through. “ _It combines the use of oversoul with the hyoi gattai, in a manner of use far beyond what we’ve done thus far. Until now, the closest you came to it was letting me do the work for you- what partial integration is however, not possession- but rather complete and total understanding of the other! My knowledge, and my power- so long as your own energy can contain it, the perfected technique gives you all of that; you will 'become’ me in a sense, while still acting as yourself,_ ” he added almost casually, apparently not in the mood to deal with the protests that would have come otherwise. “ _And of all in the world,_ ” Aiapaec continued with a grin, “ _There’s only one who can handle this._ ” Er-

“…Because everyone else 'explodes’ right..?” he found himself asking dryly, receiving a chuckle in response.

“ _At minimum..~_ ”

Ahahahahahahaha wow he didn’t need to know that part…

“ _Tattoos and markers will serve as a useful pathway to guide the furyoku of the partial integration oversoul,_ ” Aiapaec added somewhat idly soon after that. “ _You might want to see about more than just an activation of those markers…_ ” AHAHAHAHAHA-

…UGH… “…I’ll consider it,” he growled, if at least to keep the spirit silent. At that moment the patch tribesman they’d spoken to about the work came forward from the backroom, gesturing him to follow. “And don’t follow me..!”

“ _Ohhh, so cold!_ ”

“Just leave it..!”

If he looked back now that ghost would be pouting, he just knew it. As it was, the tattoo-artist himself told the god off for trying to follow. 'I need as little distraction as possible!’ he’d snapped, 'This is a delicate process!’

Very delicate, given that he was wordlessly handed a mug filled with questionably coloured steaming fluid the moment the curtain closed.

“Drink this or you’ll scream like a dying rabbit.”

“…What?”

There were no further instructions, and so with a shrug he took a sip.

“ _PFF-”_

“Drink it all!”

WHY.

At least it worked though- by the time he got through the drink he very quickly found himself poking and pulling at his face with a frown, as if to check it was actually there; the feeling was quick to spread in fact. An ethereal, half-present feeling, or rather 'lack thereof’.

By the end of it he found himself caving to the idea of another set of tatts anyways, though he wished he’d been able to feel his arms enough to properly punch Aiapaec through the face when he left the place to hear his commentary on them.


	70. Chapter 70

The building they stood in was somewhat cramped, but that was expected; they could not afford an excess of space, and if they could stand comfortably in the room as they were, then what matter was it?

There were ten of them there, all ten of them surrounding a device which flashed a moving, looping hologram, highlighting events of complete and utter chaos that had taken place earlier that day.

“It has been settled,” one among them stated clearly, the hologram freezing on the scene he spoke of. “On the matter of the Eclipse teams, the teams Gesshouku and Niishouku were not the instigators.”

“Not the instigators?” another of them protested. “Surely you jest! They made no move to hide who they were, that alone-”

“Does not qualify as the instigation of a fight,” a third interrupted, aged eyes turning on their brother in a narrowed glare. Fliorov looked back to the hologram with a distant stare, her arms crossed behind her back as she frowned. “Attacking preemptively as they did, these other shaman will be lucky to participate at all. Signers or no, they are a part of this fight.”

“A part of this fight, or a part of theirs?” rumbled a fourth member. “The Signers have had their war, it should not be a part of this!”

“This is not the first time their battle has occurred alongside our own…”

“Then tell me, where are the ‘Dark Signers’?”

Silence fell, and their gaze moved back to the screen. “…It is true,” Fliorov admitted, “The Signers are not acting as those before them have. However five thousand years is far greater a span than a mere 500- there is no way of knowing what has changed.”

“We have no choice but to leave it out of mind,” stated the first of them, turning to leave the chamber. “The Eclipse Teams will do what they will- we have only to trust the Great Spirit’s judgement on the matter.” Such was an answer that had almost entirely been carved into their minds, and the minds of all the Patch tribe. No one could foresee the events of the future, of what would happen in making one choice after the other.

Yet despite this as she left, Fliorov felt the slightest sensation of doubt upon her mind, as though what they were choosing to allow would cause actions of far greater consequence than any of them could imagine.


	71. Chapter 71

“Ow…”

“They’re so cooooool…”

“Ow– _oWWWW_ …”

“Crow-niisan, do you think if I got something like that on my legs it’d help with my oversoul?”

Max, still poking at the unbandaged arms, was pulled back at this point, his elder brother frowning. “Not for another few years.”

“Awwwwww…”

“Besides,” Bommer added with a sigh. “From what I’m hearing…”

“Oww _WWWW **WWww**_ **–** ” “Oh hold still, Crow-! You’re the one who let him poke it, now let me put the ice on!”

“…It’s a painful experience.”

It was fortunate that they’d decided to get a move on with medium gathering and clothing shopping so soon, given the aftermath of the tattoo parlor. Crow hissed as the icepack was moved to his own hand, holding it onto his bruising arm while any visible ink glistened in the sun. In a sense, it was no more or less painful than when he had his markers printed on–the ones he had on his face in particular had hurt considerably. In many others however it was worse–certainly, the ones on his back had their less than painful moments in comparison.

All the same, the added ‘ingredients’ for shamanic tattoos did not help matters. “It’s a good thing the scabs didn’t break,” Carly sighed, watching as Crow gingerly peered under the pack to check himself. “It’ll still be a few weeks before you can really move those arms right?”

“At least two,” Crow figured, frowning. “Mannnnn…”

’ _Hn! It’s expected; don’t think I never took that into consideration, either._ ’ The group turned, Aiapaec misting out from his tablet. Thanks to the need to care for the tattoos, Crow had to keep his arms uncovered for once; the tablet, thus, was being kept at his side, stashed in a sash. ’ _You can spend this time preparing your medium–and more importantly_ ,’ he added, grinning, ’ _Getting used to me~_ ’

That just sounded so terrible… “Hah! And the last year and a bit weren’t enough?”

’ _That’s casual business–we’re going to need to be on the same wavelength, at all times, regardless of what we’re doing_!’

“Wow…so like, a fusion or something?” Max asked, eyes wide. While he started to turn to Nova, the little spirit hissed.

_'You can count me out of something like that! We’re better off with what we got!_ ’

“Hahaha, I was kidding, I was kidding..!”

“Ahhh, something like that would never work for me,” Carly laughed as well, her fae-birds chittering in agreement. “Not with six…”

’ _Hn! Hardly something to be worried about. You both have your own techniques–given what you’re fighting with, that should be fine. Focus on mastering your own over-souls. the change in channeling material will cause an initial upset in the technique, and you’ll need to overcome that long before we leave for Japan!_ ’

There was a short span of silence in response to that, each of them mentally calculating out the time and need to train in their own ways. It was a serious point, after all…most particularly with what news had been brought up in the two weeks they’d been here thus far.

“The Eclipse teams…” Carly swallowed, adjusting her glasses before going back to work on the small tablets she’d collected. They were formed from stones near the Great Spirit’s pillar, each picked by one of the fae; a 'wet one’, a 'hot one’, a 'dry one’, a 'smooth one’, a 'pale one’ and a 'dark one’. Within each, she was carefully working away at a place for the card, and it proved useful as a distraction from the looming threat above.

“If they’re as bad as it sounds, they’ll probably target you outside the tournament itself…” Crow murmured, swallowing.

_'It’s almost guaranteed that they would_ ,’ his partner snorted. ’ _The Patch officiants would need the most concrete proof that she were murdered instead of killed in self defense, if it occurred. Even then, it wouldn’t be guaranteed that they would be disqualified._ ’

“I- I’m right here! You know!” she protested from the side, the others merely sighing.

“Mnnh…but, if Carly-neesan doesn’t try investigating…then we should be fine, right?” Max added hopefully.

His brother seemed almost hesitant at that. “…In theory…”

In theory? “…What’s that supposed to mean?”

Bommer shook his head. “It’s nothing–just a feeling I have; it’s not much to go on though, so just watch your backs for now, all of you.”

A round of nods came in reply, and again Max sighed. “Phew… …it’s lucky that Annie isn’t here,” he laughed. “She’s probably having a really nice break right now…”

“She’ll have to maintain the tracks on her own, but at the very least, she should be safe.” The tracks…

That was right, they’d mentioned something about pacifying the Earthbound in the downtime. Hah.

Definitely less risk there…

Crow stood, stretching his arms and picking up his 'earring box’ with a sigh. The pieces inside were still being plated in one of the Patch shops–but they were supposed to be complete any day now. Just where Bommer had gotten the funds for such a thing, he still didn’t know, but he was certainly grateful.

If it wasn’t for that, he’d never be able to live things down with Jack. 'Red-zone’ indeed…

“I’m gonna check to see how the metalwork is coming along,” Crow decided, nodding to the others. “Good luck with your training, right?”

An encouraging nod from the rest, and they grinned. “Right! We’ll be working hard, just like you!”

“Make sure to ask if there’s anything they can do with tablets to help things along!” Carly added, watching as Crow walked off.

_'Hey lady, wouldn’t that be expensive?_ ’ one could hear Nova remark.

“Ahahahahaaa…”

By the time Carly answered that, he was long since around the corner. In the end, it would probably not be for another month that he discovered what it was…

And from there, with all their time as dedicated to training as it was, any real questions would have to wait regardless.


	72. Chapter 72

- _ **VRRRr-BRBRBBRBRBRBRBRBRBRBRBRBRBBRBRBR-**_ -

It was impossible to sleep on the helicopter.

“Where did they even get all of theeeeese…”

It was impossible, and across from him, his team mates merely looked at him sympathetically. “If it’s anything like the plane,” Carly decided, “It’s probably over-soul…”

“There’s way more outside than there are teams though, isn’t there?” Max asked, blinking.

Crow peered out one of the windows himself at that moment, frowning. “Yea…some of them are coming from another direction too…”

_‘It’s because of funding._ ’ Aiapaec hovered between the seats, and while Crow continued looking out the window, the others focused on him. ’ _These rounds of the fight have been publicized for millennia–it gives the benefit of support for housing, and display, which ensures the tournament runs more smoothly. Of course, having an audience to cheer you on should help things along 'nicely’ too, wouldn’t you think?_ ’ he laughed, his partner merely snorting.

With Aiapaec involved, 'nicely’ probably meant 'seeing their faces as one side brutally slaughters the other’. All that aside, the very idea of seeing everyone there after the warning given three months earlier was hard to swallow. “Hah…you say that as if Yuusei and everyone could–”

He cut himself short, standing up and pressing his face against the glass without warning.

“EH?? Crow, what are you doing?” “Did you see something?!”

There was no answer–and for a time, Crow’s face was so tightly pushed against the glass that one wondered if he’d leave a mark against it. In the end however, he just sat, blinking at the view and shaking his head. “Er…nah,” he said in the end, scratching his head. His old earrings swung a bit, and he went back to holding the box containing his 'battle’ ones. “…Just seeing things.”

There was no way in hell he could admit to thinking he saw Rua and Ruka waving eagerly at them from another helicopter, he told himself.

No _way_.


	73. Chapter 73

It wasn’t a hallucination.

“Yo! Crow!” “Crow~!” “Hi, Crow~” “ _CARLYYYYYY–_ ”

“AH! JACK~!”

One of those things weren’t quite like the other, but as Jack ran past to more or less crush Carly in a hug, he decided that 4 out of 5 wasn’t so bad. 

If anything, even one would’ve had the same response from him, the redhead staring almost blearily at the others. “Y…you’re all here,” he choked, staring with wide eyes.

Amid the group, Yuusei merely nodded, smiling. “Aah. As it seems, the ‘Patch’ keeps track of those close to the participants…”

“We each received invitations in the mail,” Aki added. “Some of them more directly, in fact…” There was a pointed smirk at Rua, and the boy’s sister sighed.

“…There a story I’m missing here..?” Crow asked.

The calmer of the twins merely sighed, nodding. “Rua tried to hit an officiant with a frying pan.” “I did not-!” “You did.” “RU _KAAAAAAAA-_ ”

“Jack-niisan~! Yuusei-niisan~!” Max came over at that moment, grinning widely as both turned their attentions to the boy and his brother.

“Max! Bommer!” A handshake was shared, and Jack as well grinned. “But where’s your sister then..?”

There was a calm headshake from Bommer. “Annie is the only one left to tend to the lines while we’re here, so she offered to stay behind…”

Wait what- “HAH–you knew everyone would be showing up for these rounds?!”

Bommer merely smiled, and it was Yuusei who changed the subject. “With all of us here, I’ve yet to see the others who arrived, Crow…” There was a short 'puku!’ from the teen’s bag, and as Pokun poked his head out to frown, Yuusei continued. “Have you seen them anywhere?”

Jack very quickly rounded on him with that reminder. “That’s right! Yuusei said Kiryu was back! So where is he!?”

“ACK…”

“I want to see for myself! Right now!”

“O-Oii oiii! We were in different choppers for a reason–!” Crow protested. “I don’t even know if they landed yet, give me a se–”

“ _ **…You two are as noisy as ever,**_ ” a smooth voice chuckled behind them. And as Jack turned, his face slowly melting into an expression of almost calm shock, Kiryu merely nodded his head toward the front of the meeting hall they were all gathering in. 

“K…Kir…” For all his shouting earlier, Jack found himself locked in a stare, unable to believe his eyes. And in response, Kiryu simply smirked, hair practically floating behind him as he moved toward the larger crowd inside.

“ _ **Come on–they’re announcing the tournament match-ups…I want to see when I can expect to satisfy my 'fans’ in the audience.**_ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- This marks the last of what was previously posted to tumblr; so there'll be a bit of a wait for updates from here on. Fortunately however, both this one and Black and Blue should be sparingly updated alongside A Matter of the Soul.


End file.
